YES WE ARE RELIABLE TOUR OPERATOR
Okoa Africa Tours
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2010)
- Member Of:
- Kenya Tourism Federation, Museum of Kenya under Nature-Kenya & TRA under Ministry of Tourism in Kenya
- Tour Types:
- Small & medium group tours (Budget & mid-range)
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $100 to $559 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Legit tour! Affordable budget option
As a first timer, reading so many reviews and feedbacks from all agencies, this agency is really good and legit. Overall, i felt secured since then with Mika. He gives information a lot and answer promptly to my queries. I paid cash on their office at Nairobi.
Before the tour, he explained everything what shall we expect. And we feel happy about his service. Since day, the driver, Boniface, pick us up from our apartment and drop to his office. Then collecting all the passengers for the 1 van from different company. In the 1st 3 days, we were 8 but these 2 guys extended their Masai Mara for a day, so on the 4th day we are only 6 like the other van.
The food was ok, mostly was beef stew, lentil, egg(packed lunch), spinach, fried chx(packed lunc)h,etc. I had diarrhea and i dont know whats the reason. Just better bring ibuprofen with you. The food is bland and repeated for 7 days. Nothing much to be excited about it. Expect this food also in other budget tour even with other companies.
Always bring bug repellant with you even you stay in a hotel as there’s still mosquito.
Boniface is fine for me but other people with us cant understand him much when he was explaining and discussing about the animals and more.
Summary, the tour is worth the money you paid comparing to the other tours. It has cheaper price but you will get the same quality with other agencies.
Affordable, professional, and exciting safari trip
We booked through Okoa because the trip packed everything in under three days and was very affordable. We were delighted with Moses, our driver and guide, who had excellent knowledge of the wildlife and was a skilled driver. The food at Lenchada camp was great, and the basic rooms were comfortable and clean (though hot water wasn't consistently available). Overall, we really enjoyed our trip and would highly recommend it to those on a budget.
US
Email Michael F. | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Incredible attention for every client, unbelievable Safari experience. Go local!
I fully recommend booking with Okoa for your Safari adventures. We were lucky enough to be able to do a 9 day Safari experience across Tanzania and Kenya to visit the Serengeti, Ngorongoro crater, Lake Manyara, Maasai Mara, and Lake Naivasha. We experienced some problems with the operator in Tanzania which was completely out of Okoa’s control yet they made some very significant accommodations for us when they really didn’t need to. Furthermore, Mika was the best tour representative we’ve ever worked with and went out of his way to ensure that all of our concerns and issues were resolved as best he could and in an expedited fashion. Any questions or concerns we had were dealt with immediately with Mika which is important when you are spending significant dollars on these trips and this level of service was far superior than any other excursion we planned in our 3 month tour of East Africa. Despite some setbacks in Tanzania, the Kenyan side of our trip was absolutely flawless and I really admired the attention provided during the tour. The guides, lodging and food were all well above expectations and really helped us with a positive experience. Mika was a huge help in all of this and he’s a great guy in general. Okoa will do everything possible to ensure a great experience and I’d recommend them as a local operator over some larger companies because of their expert attention to detail and focus on each and every client.
IT
Email Francesco | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
good tour, but poor communication from the tour operator
5 stars to the experience, amazing landscapes and lots of animals
5 stars to Boniface who went to great lengths to show us the best
5 stars to the group, very nice and friendly people, it was a pleasure to stay with them
4 stars to the accomodations, considering the budget it was good
3 stars to the food, it was good, but always the same, and as vegetarian for lunch bag always boiled eggs
2 stars to Okoa, we had to pay 7% more because we paid by card, and no one had warned us that there were additional charges with the card, otherwise we would have paid in cash. The tour is the same with other tour operators, we were staying in the same van, same hotels, all the same, with people who had booked with other tour operators, but maybe with other tour operators we would have saved money.
Reply from Okoa Africa Tours
Posted on Aug 29, 2022Dear Francesco,
Thank you so much for your comment, we are glad to hearing back from you and is great you enjoyed your safari. The card charges its not ours but by bank and the charges is less than 5% NOT 7% YOU MENTIONED we believe maybe that was error you wrote
Email Ben | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Average company lacking transparency
Please note that Okora safaris is part of Big Time Safaris and is simply one of around 12 separate agencies all operating under Big Time Safaris.
We booked a 7 day budget sharing safari in Kenya. What we didn’t realise, and weren’t told, until we turned up at the office on the first day, was that this meant different members of the group are doing different itinerary’s. So for us we had a group of 7, 3 doing 3 days, 2 doing 5 days and the two of us doing 7.
We had assumed “sharing safari” meant we were joining a group of others all on the same trip rather than a private trip for the two of us.
The different schedules therefore resulted in swapping drivers at various points and wasted time dropping people off at inconvenient times and places. For example of day 3, on the way back from Massi Mara, rather than arranging a pick up point for three of the group In Narok, we ended up spending an extra 3 hours in the car as we drove most of the way back to Nairobi rather than going straight from the Masi Mara to Lake Nakuru via the road in Narok.
In Amboseli we were a group of 8 people in the mini van making it very tight for the game drive and with all of the bags. Please note all of the group had been told different things about maximum group size, some were told a max of 4 people some 6 people so 8 wasn’t acceptable to anyone.
The organisation and communication on the whole was poor and whilst everyone in the group appreciated we are in Africa and not Europe, the trip simply did not run as scheduled with all the car journeys taking hours longer than had been indicated.
Our guide was very knowledgeable but wouldn’t volunteer information unless asked and seemed content with doing the minimum required. For example On Day 3 in the Masai Mara, the guides view was that we had a good day on day 2 and saw lots of animals therefore the sunrise game drive that was scheduled for Day 3 was not required. After some awkward conversations he eventually agreed that the sunrise game drive could go ahead on Day 3…not the attitude you are looking for in a guide…He was also late on 2 occasions by over 45 minute late each time meaning we lost valuable sunrise game time in both the Masai Mara and Amboseli.
What was also disappointing was that we confirmed that we could pay by card, accepting a 2.5% charge for doing so. Our quote for the trip was priced in USD. However when arriving at the office the agency said this needed to be converted into Kenyan shillings at the rate that they would then need to convert Kenyan shillings back into dollars. In effect paying two conversation rates on the same payment. We challenged this and the “quoted exchange rate” was reduced albeit this seems completely unreasonable and unnecessary and still cost us almost $100 when compared to the market rate USD to Kenyan shillings rate on the date of transaction. It is my opinion that this is simply a scam so the agency can pocket some extra cash. Having booked other tours with other Kenyan companies priced in USD these “double exchange rate” payment did not exist.
All that being said the beauty of the Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha and Amboseli is amazing it’s just a shame that the tour company were not transparent about what to expect on the trip and that our guide was context with doing the minimum required rather than trying to maximise the time available in these locations to give the best experience possible.
Reply from Okoa Africa Tours
Posted on Aug 29, 2022Dear Ben
Thank you so much for your comment and we are glad you have done your safari with us safely. The itinerary you requested before booking your safari with us was and is joining group safari and the amount you pay is and was budget joining group safari and NOT private safari we can't afford to operate your safari private if you pay for joining group safari this is because joining safari is affordable than private which is costly and this is why you chose to shared the cost with other travelers. Okoa Africa Tours is NOT Big Time Safaris but Okoa Africa Tours share operation office with other 5 companies and Big Time Safaris is one of them. Is expensive to have office in Nairobi city so Okoa Africa Tours and other companies work at one offfice to help us shared the cost just like you booking joining group Safaris to help you get affordable safari. On the rate of exchange this issue really give us challeges with travellers who don't prefer paying the safari in Cash or online paymeny by card 7 weeks before safari, And prefer paying by card in the office at the office the card payment machine is in Kenya Shllings and if you were to pay by card in the office your dollars payment we will receive it in Kenya shillings because of that card machine at the office is Kenya Shilling account and because of this we will convert your dollar payment with the currect bank rate which is not in our hand but BANKS which KEEP CHANGING SELLING DOLLAR RATE and online selling dollar rate is always lower compare to local bank rate. And atually we always gave you option to pay in cash in dollars to avoid giving banks adavatage of getting extra ksh or pay in dollars by online card payment 7 days before your arrival day
Don’t select, we were left stranded twice with independent drivers that did not know our itinerary.
We are experienced travelers who generally don’t mind small hiccups or slight plan changes. However, we experienced many issues on this safari that were unacceptable. No matter what tour agency you select, you will see the animals and the landscapes. If you don’t want those memories clouded by stress, uncertainty, and worry, pick a more reputable tour agency. This is not a professional outfit.
We were dropped off at multiple locations that didn’t match our provided itinerary with no Wi-Fi / service to contact the agency. In one instance, the next driver showed up 15 hours late. There was a lack of information and transparency that left us feeling unsafe, vulnerable, and stranded. We paid extra for a 4x4 Jeep but spent half of our time in various small sedans. We were not able to drive to one of the parks due to this.
A flat tire is reasonable and common. However, setting off on a three-day safari in the Serengeti with a damaged, leaking radiator is negligent and unsafe. We were stranded for two hours because the engine overheated and had to make several other stops to check on the vehicle throughout the tour.
Despite paying for an all-inclusive (planned) safari, we had independent or sub-contracted drivers who were not aware of our itinerary —including what parks we were to visit, where we were staying and the logistics of our next (unexpected) hand-offs. These drivers also didn’t have our information and we were forced to trust they were somehow affiliated with the company.
In one specific incident, a driver had no idea what our final destination was or where we were staying. This driver attempted to pick up friends along the way until we demanded to be taken to our accommodation. He didn’t know this accommodation, so we told him to take us to the accommodation we stayed in before we departed for the park where we knew we would have access to Wi-Fi to call for help. We then had to go to the new accommodation that was not on our provided itinerary.
Other issues we experienced:
1. Our accommodations didn’t match those listed on our itinerary and we were never provided with an updated version.
2. None of the jeeps were affiliated with Okoa Tours or the Tanzanian counterpart called Seven Wonders, despite other legitimate companies having branded vehicles.
3. All jeeps’ were older than the pictures provided and the charging outlets did not work as described.
After the tour we reached out to Okoa and they responded “But as far as the Kenya side nothing went wrong” because we arrived at the 3 listed parks.
Reply from Okoa Africa Tours
Posted on Oct 4, 2022Dear Nick we are glad to received your comment about your safari which you booked through Okoa Africa Tours and we are glad to hear your opinion about the safari and where we should improve our services especially with our working partner in Tanzania. Although it seems like your comment has some typo error on 15hrs waiting it must be an error you wrote because your safari it was a total of 9 days safari joining group budget camping safari and in Kenya you went and cover bother Masai Mara and Lake Naivasha as per the itinerary and the Tanzania side you went and visited Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro and all these parks you did a game drive as per the itinerary NO park was skipped. So this is why we believe that your comment about 15hrs is an error because if you could have waited for 15hrs you could NOT manage to cover all these parks and since you did visited all these parks in Tanzania side then you could have needed 1 day extra to complete your tour itinerary and since you did not add any extra day and your safari ended exactly on day 9th it is obvious that your comment about 15hrs is error typo on your side. Well during your safari its true you encounter some challenges because of the lack of communication between our Tanzania partner and his driver guides because you started safari with the driver who has the information about your accommodation on the last day in Arusha but due to the group joining safari some were remaining and you were to be drove back to Arusha and you were transfer to another car with another driver who did not have the information about your hotel in Arusha and i really appreciated how you communicated to us about it and we called our partner in Arusha and our partner in Tanzania followed with his driver guide to informed him where they booked for you in Arusha and that was solved within 15minutes after our Tanzania partner communicated with their driver and that the WAITED WE ARE AWARE OF BECAUSE YOU COMMUNICATED TO US ABOUT IT. Another challenge which came and you communicated to us about it and was solved immediately was at the hotel in Arusha for first night when the hotel thought that your room was only booked for bed & breakfast without dinner but again this was communicated by us to correct it and your room was later confirmed to you that is full board meaning included, bed dinner, breakfast. All the misunderstanding which came during your safari you communicated with us and was corrected immediately. On the issue of Wifi THIS WAS BUDGET CAMPING SAFARI AND AT CAMPSITE THERE IS NO WIFI YOU CAN ONLY GET WIFI AT MID RANGE AND LUXURY CAMP OR LODGES AND IF ITS HAPPENS YOU GET WIFI AT A BUDGET HOTEL LIKE YOU DID IN LAKE NAIVASHA THAT IS A CITY HOTEL NOT AT THE PARK. Thank you so much for your comment and advise and we are going to work on the things you recommend we improve on and next time when are you are booking your safari with Okoa Africa Tours you will not have a repeat of such challenges. Thank you so much and we are looking forward see you on your next trip to East Africa in the future.
RU
Email Evgeniia | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The best tour operator ever!
There were amazing 6 days in Kenya with Okoa Afrika Tours!
Our driver John is real professional who made our wishes real as fast as possible and really cared about us during all 6 days. John we miss you and wish you all the best!
We spent the last day of safari in Nairobi with Mika and Johnson. They gave us the excursion, showed shoppes where we could buy some local products and told us the history of Kenya. In the end of our Kenya trip they took us to the Carnivore restaurant where we could try some special types of meat.
Thanks a lot to Okoa Afrika Tours for our amazing Kenya trip! Highly recommend the operator to everyone who wants to make their Afrikan trip the most comfortable and really unforgettable!
IT
Email Giada | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very well organized tour!
the tour went very well, organized with precision and without any problems.
Our guide, Jackson, was truly terrific, his help, his experience and his knowledge of the savannah were essential.
Communication with the okoa staff was always fast and reliable.
The places we slept in were comfortable, sometimes a little basic, but we were always treated with the utmost respect and kindness. We were a vegetarian group, and we had no problem always finding the right food for us, and even in the packed lunches they always worked to make us have a personalized menu.
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Email Yana | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best Experience Ever!
We were absolutely thrilled with our trip, thanks to John and Mika!
We are so grateful for welcoming us and providing the best experience possible, it exceeded all our expectations! We believe we got super super lucky with John as our guide, it was a very sad moment to say good bye as we liked him so very much and we couldn’t wish for a better person to show us around and spend all this time with!
We got to see everything we wanted including the Big Five!
We were lucky to see the leopard, cheetah and lions several times.
We had our flight back late in the evening, they were so nice to take their time and show us around the Nairobi city and booked us an amazing restaurant to try all the unusual types or meats, which was a perfect way to finish our extraordinary experience !!!
Thank you thank you thank you! These guys are the best !!!
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Email Shanta | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very good service and Martin is the best driver. Mica was also very helpful.
There are too many options online for a safari operator and we were very confused but we just decided to go with Okoa Africa tours and we are really satisfied and happy with their services. My daughter planned the whole trip within a period of not even 3 weeks but it all worked out fine. We took a private safari and had no problem whatsoever. We got in touch with Mica first and Martin is the driver who was with us for the safari. His driving is excellent and he really knows it all. I would highly recommend Okoa for a safari in Kenya. Hope this review will help travelers to find a safari operator.