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
BE
Email Marie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Everyone was very professional and making sure everyone is having a good time.
This was the first real safari I ever did and I had an amazing time.
Our guide in Masai Mara & the one in Naivasha were very professional and took really good care of us.
Everything was very well organised and there were no problems at all.
I had a great experience!
SK
Email Rich | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
good office interaction, driver not perfect
Minneh was great helping get this organized at the start and was quick to respond to our questions and queries, which was fantastic. But there were some mixups on what time we were supposed to be picked up at our hotel to start. Not a big deal, but we were told three different times and ended up ready at 7am while the driver said he was told to get us at 8am. A bigger deal was the 45min wait at the tax office coming home while our driver sorted out permitting issues on the way out. Other safari teams came through the tax checkpoint quickly, showed their receipts, and left -- less than 60 seconds -- while our paperwork wasn't quite right, and so we waited and waited and waited.
The animals of course were great, which is what you want to remember from the experience. And Keekorok lodge, while dated, was a great location and had super friendly staff.
I'd probably be okay using Jocky Tours again for the ease of payment and organizing, but just double and triple check how things are supposed to go on timing. And maybe avoid Leonard as a driver. We didn't get as a warm a fuzzy with him as we might have liked -- he'd clearly done this a lot before, but spent a lot more time on his phone while driving that we would have wanted.
US
Email Meeyum | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We rate Jocky Tours 4.5 stars; we would have given 5 stars if hotel in Nakuru had been better
The safari was a wonderful experience and James/Munyiri was a perfect guide! He was helpful and professional at all times; he shared his knowledge of the animal and plant life, and answered all our questions patiently and carefully. He was warm and pleasant. When on Thursday we drove along very muddy roads and one van after another was getting stuck, James proved to be the most skilled driver: he helped all the drivers get out of difficult situations and it was clear that the other drivers recognized and appreciated his skill. We felt safe with him at all times.
The only complaint we have about the safari was the hotel we stayed at in Nakuru the last night. Lanet Matfam was a sub-standard hotel: the rooms were very cramped, there was mold in the bathroom, and there was no place to sit. Certainly, for the amount of money we paid Jocky Tours, the accommodations should have been better.
All in all, we had a wonderful -indeed unforgettable — experience on safari, and we were thrilled that James was our guide! We will surely recommend Jocky Tours to others and we will encourage them to request James/Munyiri as their guide.
Email Tom | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Safari with Jocky Tours
First time in Kenya and on safari. Our driver/guide was excellent, friendly and very knowledgeable. Would recommend!
ES
Email Mauro | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing safari with really professional guide and management team!
I really highly recommend Jocky Tours & Safaris to your budget safari in Kenya.
I was recommended by one Spanish friend and since the first e-mail to Minneh she demonstrate to be really professional and always answering all e-mail in couple of hours.
She was really patience and clear when explaining me all options of safari and always clear and fast to answer all my doubts (price, what was included, options of parks to visit, how many days).
Since the first e-mails, I was always filling really comfortable and safe to my pick for Jocky tours.
We made a small transfer few weeks before our trip to guarantee our safari, and never had problem with the transfer. Everything went well and Minneh never pressure us to make the transfer.
Me and my girlfriend we had our flight delay for 24 hours to arrive to Kenya and Minneh was always keeping track of us and made last minute changes by our request so we could made the necessary changes for our Safari. We had in the beginning the 7 days safari and because we were arriving one day late to Nairobi and we already had our trip back schedule, Minneh made all the changes request by us without charging anything extra, she also decrease the full day safari cost of the day we lost.
Our driver for the 6 days was Raymond. Really professional driver, really good guide in the Park and always listening to our most crazy request. If we want Lions, Raymond drove us to Lions or whatever we asked him.
He was always polite and really respectful of our space. If we wanted to understand a little about Kenya or other topics he was always willing to talk, but if we were tired and want some silence he really respected that. Really recommend Raymond as a driver and safari guide.
We choose the budget safari, where you sleep on tents and you share the van with more people. If you want to visit Kenya and you are traveling with limited budget this is your choice. The experience to sleep in tents and share the van are not as bad as it looks like. The experience is amazing. The places we stay are normal, but clean and comfortable and of easy access to the safari. We are a young couple but we saw a lot of families and older people with the tent option too. I highly recommend, it’s just more real than a 5 star hotel.
I´m writing this review to highly recommend Jocky Tours & Safaris for your budget safari in Kenya. Before booking with them I tried to find more reviews online but because they are local operators I could find too many. This is why I’m writing to express how satisfied my girlfriend and I were with our pick to safari operator.
NL
Email Wambui Njoroge | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Well arranged, and an excellen value for your money
I enjoyed my safari with Jockey Tours and Safaris from the moment I booked it at the office untill the day it was over and they dropped me off at my hotel one week later. The company has an amazing staff and very friendly owner, who will try to accomodat you at all times.
To strat off with the tour was very well arranged: pickup and drop off at your hotel, transport, all meals and water included, good accomodation and a good driver. I booked my tour 3 days in advance, which was no problem at all. When I asked them 2 days later if my friend could join, they made the arrangements right away and even when we were on our last day of the safari and decided to add one more day, to see a different park, they made it possible within minutes. Their service is truely remarkable. We ended up booking a 5 day budget safari to Masaai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha and Hell's Gate N.P.
The accomodation provided was also lovely. The tented camp at the Masaai Mara had huge tents, with very comfortable double beds and hot water showers. The lodge in Nakuru povided us with a big pool, which was very welcome after all the dust, and excellent food. The Lake Nakuru hotel was smaller, but had a lovely garden and very friendly staff.
The food was always good and there was always plenty. For breakfast we either had an english or continental breakfast. Lunch was either served in the lodge or as a picknick inside the park during full day game drives. They were always different, well spiced and there was always a very good vegetarian option. Dinner was always served at the lodge and also existed of a good and healty veriety of meals.
There were always drinks available such as cold beers and soda's which were not at all expensive.
Our driver knew the parks and the animals very well. He really tried to show us all the wonders off african nature and whenever big game was spotted somewhere he would make shure we were the first once to arrive. So many thanks to our driver who made the trip complete.
All together I canhighly recommend Jockey Tours and Safaris. When booking with them you will most definately get your moneys worth.
FYI
All hotels had hot water showers.
US
Email Samurai King | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
First time safaris with Jocky Tours
I guess budget was reasonable and staff is friendly
It was first time safari tour for me so I can request something for next time
If I go to kenya again I will ask for safari tours to Jocky Tours again!
JP
Email yudaina1 | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
good and recommend commpany
This is second time used a Jocky Tours.
Always they pick up me at airport at on time and tour cost is cheap.
At safari, almost driver is kind and friendly, they do best to find a animal.
If you can use this company, you can spend good time in Kenya.
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
NO
Email Kjetil Berger Falk | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
great
Jocky Tours have been great partners for many years now. They know their trade very well, and we communicate very good. We are happy with the knowledge they posess on the savannah. The camp and the food is also very good. The only thing is that some of the drivers drove too fast from Kisumu to the camp. Some of the students didnt feel comfortable with that.
Reply from Jocky Tours and Safaris
Posted on Jan 1, 2015Great to hear your feedback Falk,we are very sorry for the discomfort caused to your group of students by some of our drivers during your recent safari.After following up the matter from our senior driver,we are meant to understand that the fast driving was due to the fact that Kisumu-MasaiMara is quite a long distance hence the need for speed.We however don't condone fast driving,all our company tour vans are now fitted with speed governors.