Denis, our Tour Manager at the office!
Bushtop Kenya Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2015)
- Member Of:
- AMREF, Eco Tourism & Kenya Wildlife Service
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $100 to $600 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
ES
Email Angel | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An unforgettable family safari in Kenya
Our experience with Bushtop Kenya Safaris was excellent from beginning to end.
1. Initial correspondence with Denis
From our very first contact, the organization was perfect. Denis was always quick to reply, answered all our questions clearly and helped us organize every detail of the trip. The quotation and itinerary were well prepared, making the planning process easy and giving us confidence before the trip even started.
2. Our Spanish-speaking guide – Joshua
Joshua was, without a doubt, one of the highlights of our safari. His kindness, professionalism, friendliness and deep knowledge of the wildlife and the environment made every game drive special. He was always attentive to us and shared his passion for nature throughout the trip. Thanks to his experience, we were fortunate enough to see the Big Five in just 4 days and 3 nights. A big hug to Joshua – he is simply the best!
3. The hotels
Both lodges exceeded our expectations. Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge at Lake Nakuru and Sarova Mara Game Camp in the Masai Mara were wonderful. The staff at both properties were incredibly friendly, welcoming and attentive to every detail, making us feel at home throughout our stay.
4. Overall recommendation
The safari itself was incredible. Experiencing first the wildlife around Lake Nakuru and then the vast plains of the Masai Mara provided two very different and complementary safari experiences. The contrast between the lake ecosystem and the savannah made the journey even more memorable.
Finally, we believe the price was fair. A safari is not an inexpensive experience, but we truly feel that we received everything we paid for.
Thank you very much to Bushtop Kenya Safaris for making this such a wonderful family experience.
NO
Email Jared | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It was absolutely perfect
We reached out to 3 different safari companies that charged the same for a 5 day safari but we liked the accommodations options Bushtop gave us the most so we choose them. They were able to rearrange our itinerary to suit when some resorts we chose were sold out on dates but we got there in the end and were very happy as they were incredibly nice stay at.
We were a little sceptical how everything was going to go as it was our first time to Africa but Denis was very good at communicating with us via email, with quick responses and updating us as needed. When we arrived we were taken care of and given the game plan from our driver/guide James. Over the course of our safari we had multiple people from shops we visited tell us James was the best guide in kenya and now I definitely agree. He made our first experience of Africa very special. Hes very professional, knowledgeable but most importantly for us, he made us relaxed and enjoy every second. Even the long drives between areas didn't feel like a drag as he always had something to show us. We saw everything on safari we dreamed of and most animals very close up. James has a 6th sixth sense about the animals and seems to know what they are going to do.
When our flight out was delayed he took extra time to show us a few places around Nairobi as well.
We will be forver grateful for the time we had on safari thanks to bushtop safari.
NO
Email Ane | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Service minded and provides a great experience
We had an amazing first time in Kenya and on safari for five days, mostly because of our guide James. He is extremely knowledgeable and friendly, he knows everyone and made us feel very well taken care of. We saw so many incredible animals up close and we did not feel rushed. If we had requests along the way he made it happen.
The communication with the company was easy and Irene or Denis replied quickly to any inquiries. The three different resorts were very nice, especially Mara Maisha camp and Lake Naivasha sopa resort (incredible!). Staff were friendly and there was a good variety of food.
We would definitely pick James again if we get the chance to come back, and we highly recommend Bushtop and James to anyone else looking for a once in a lifetime safari experience!
Email Sam | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Would not hesitate to recommend to friends and family
Here’s a version that keeps all of the points you mentioned, gives James more credit, and still reads like a genuine review rather than something overly polished.
We had an amazing honeymoon safari with Bushtop Safaris and couldn’t recommend them highly enough.
We did a private 5-day safari with 2 days in the Maasai Mara, 1 day at Lake Naivasha and 1 day in Lake Nakuru, travelling in a comfortable pop-top Land Cruiser.
Denis was excellent from the start. He always replied quickly, was easy to communicate with, tailored the trip to fit our schedule perfectly, and organised our airport pick-up and drop-off. He also recommended all of our accommodation, which was a great mix of lodges and tented camps. We were really happy with every place we stayed and the food was excellent.
The real highlight of the trip was our guide, James. He was incredibly friendly, knowledgeable and passionate, and taught us so much about the animals, plants and Kenyan culture. His experience really showed throughout the safari, and he was well connected with other guides and rangers, which helped us find some amazing wildlife. Thanks to James, we were lucky enough to see the Big Five, including a leopard and a black rhino, which were unforgettable moments on our honeymoon.
James was also very flexible and happily changed our itinerary when we asked, making sure we got the most out of every day. The Land Cruiser was clean, comfortable and perfect for game drives. He was also a very safe and competent driver. The long journeys between parks were so comfortable that my wife often fell asleep, and James always stopped regularly for breaks whenever we wanted one.
A huge thank you to James for making our honeymoon so memorable, and to Denis for organising such a fantastic trip. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Bushtop Safaris.
Email Ambar | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Tourguide, very knowledgeable and friendly. Very accommodating
Amazing experience! We were there for 4 days, Bushtop was Very communicative since the beginning, Dennis explained everything in detail and addressed all of our concerns. Our tour guide James was beyond exceptional, he was amazing, answered all of our questions, made us feel welcome and was very accommodating and understanding. Recommend James and Bushtop Safaris 10/10!
IT
Email ROBERTA VINCO | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
SIMPLY PERFECT !!!! 🧡
We went on a 7 days Safari tour + 6 days on the beach, all organized by mr Denis from Bushtop Safari Kenya.
Mr Denis is an exquisite, competent and helpful person, always available to satisfy any request.
The tour he organized for us went even beyon our expectations and the asked price is more than fair.
Our driver James had a truly infectious enthusiasm , always smiling and the car always clean.
With him we managed to see all Big Five and much more....
Kenya will remain in my Heart forever also thanks to the fact that mr Denis and mr James made us feel at home.
I will trust mr Denis to Organize other trips, perhaps to Tanzania next time ....
CA
Email Spencer | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unexpected extraordinary Kenya trip with professional Bushtop company
My family and I had been planning a trip to Kenya, and while browsing travel websites, a tour package offered by Bushtop immediately caught my eye—not only was the price reasonable, but it also included convenient "fly-in, fly-out" services, offering far more value for money than I had expected. However, I initially had some doubts: how could such an affordable price come with such high-quality hotels? With this question in mind, I began communicating via email with Denis, a staff member at Bushtop, and also shared our personal needs and travel preferences with him.
During the booking, what impressed me most is that I contacted a lot of companies with my requirements, the other companies just give the price in that popular hotel, , completely ignoring whether the hotels had availability or if they matched our needs. But Denis do suggest us about the hotel's availability and help us find the availiable one fits in our requirements. Denis's professionalism and thoughtfulness were the key reasons we finally chose Bushtop. The booking process very well, just after I paid the deposit, The booking process was also very smooth: as soon as I paid the deposit, Denis immediately sent over a clear and detailed itinerary.
The 6-day schedule was perfectly balanced—neither too rushed nor too relaxed, allowing us to fully experience the natural beauty of Kenya. We spent 1 day exploring Lake Naivasha, 2.5 days diving into the Masai Mara grasslands, and finally took a flight to Amboseli, where we spent 1.5 days encountering wildlife beneath the snow-capped mountains. This rhythm allowed us to immerse ourselves in each destination while having enough time to rest and recharge.
Our guide, James(for Neivasha and Masai Mara), and Timothy(for Amboseli), they're both extrodinary excellent
.James, who was in charge of the Naivasha and Masai Mara segments, was definitely among the top-tier guides: helping others for fun (over two days, he took the initiative to rush forward three times to help free other vehicles stuck in the mud), optimistic and enthusiastic (greeting each companion he meets), professional and skillful (not only has first-class driving skills, but also meticulously explains all kinds of animal and plant knowledge and Kenyan humanities along the way, like a treasure! The books in the backpack seem to be some years old, which are all his accumulated experience over the years), the service is also meticulous and thoughtful, and the hot drinks for lunch will be neatly arranged for us! The professional service level directly increases my good impression of Kenya.
Timothy, who was responsible for the Amboseli segment, was equally outstanding. Even though we stayed there for a short time, his professional tour planning allowed us to gain countless unforgettable moments. I remember one evening, we were originally planning to head back to the hotel, but Timothy smiled and said, "Give me 10 more minutes—there might be a surprise." Those 10 minutes let us witness a scene we would never forget for the rest of our lives: the setting sun shone on the snow-capped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro, and a family of elephants walked slowly right in front of us. Among the group was a one-month-old baby elephant, taking cute little steps to keep up with its mother. The golden light, the white snow-capped mountain, and the gray elephant herd combined to form a healing and stunning picture. Even now, when I think about it, it still feels like a dream.
However, there was a small hiccup during this trip: since we only booked one month in advance, most of the hotels on my list were already fully booked, and the service at the hotel we finally stayed in did not meet our expectations. I tried sending a message to Denis one night to share my concerns, and to my surprise, when we returned to the hotel after the game drive the next day, all the issues had been resolved. Denis not only coordinated with the hotel to upgrade some of the services but also specially sent a message to apologize. This efficiency and sense of responsibility completely dispelled our dissatisfaction.
Finally, I want to give a piece of advice to those guys planning a trip to Kenya: once you confirm your itinerary, be sure to book your hotel as early as possible! Unlike Manhattan or London, which have an abundance of luxury rooms, the number of high-quality hotel rooms in Kenya is very limited. Once you miss out, it’s hard to book them again—and we almost regretted it because we booked too late. Although Bushtop is a small travel company, it has the most sincere service attitude. From Denis’s patient communication to the professional companionship of James and Timothy, every detail made us feel valued. If I ever go to Kenya again, I will definitely choose Bushtop without hesitation.
Email Alex & Marion | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing guide, organisation was flexible and responsive. Fair pricing
We spent 5 days in Kenya, going first to Lake Nakuru, then Lake Naivasha and spending the rest of our trip in the Maasai Mara with a stop by a Maasai village on our way back to Nairobi. Organising the tour (getting the quote and planning the itinerary) went well, Denis was responsive and accommodated all of our requests! Pricing is good and fair.
Our guide, James, was absolutely sensational and we strongly recommend him! He has immense knowledge on any animal that you will encounter. He was happy to thoroughly answer all of our questions (and we had many) about the wildlife but also the Maasai culture and the life in Kenya. He was also very flexible and happily accommodated a last minute request to change the planning of our last day. James is super friendly and always positive, hakuna matata! Finally, he is a smooth and skilled driver, both on the road and in the savanna!
The 4x4 was great, the roof opens up which allows clear 360 views. It’s comfortable and came with water and blankets! We recommend it compared to the minivan option, the Masai Mara can be muddy and treacherous - even with a 4x4 you can get stuck in the mud.
We stayed at the following hotels / camps:
- Egret Savanna Camp (previously Flamingo Hill Tented Camp) at Lake Nakuru - Good and clean tented accommodation, great buffet food, good amenities. They provided hot water bottles to warm up the bed which we greatly appreciated as the weather was rather cold on our first day!
- Taphe Resort at Lake Naivasha - We were very disappointed with this accommodation! The room, shower, towels and sheets were dirty. The food was not pleasant, both dinner and breakfast.
- Talek Bush Camp at Maasai Mara - We got the Safari House which is a room that sits just in front of the Talek river. This in particular was a highlight - from the room we were able to observe crocodiles, hippos, baboons and even a giraffe! However, we had many issues with the shower - at first no hot water, and once fixed we’d only have hot water if we set the water pressure to a very low setting. Otherwise the room was basic but clean, and the food was good.
Overall, this trip was magical and we highly recommend Bushtop, especially James!
PL
Email Marek | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable safari experience
Unforgettable safari experience
August 2025
Highly recommended tour operator. Very efficient booking process with individual approach to meet our needs and expectations. Denis who is in charge was extremely helpful and flexible. Our guide James was highly professional trying to show us as much as possible. We were lucky to have him as our guide. Our jeep 4x4 was very comfortable. The selection of hotels during safari was very accurate. The quality price relationship was very good. To sum up: Bushtop Safari is a highly recommended tour operator for safari experience.
MY
Email Sharon Kuan | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Bushtop Kenya Safaris is Your Reliable & Trustworthy Tour Operator in Kenya
7-Day Nairobi, Nakuru, Naivasha and Masai Mara
We chose Bushtop over the others because they were the only tour operator that provided us with a very comprehensive and detailed itineraries among the few that we had initially approached. The Manager Denis is very courteous, responsive and always replied to our questions promptly. Big thanks to James too who was our driver cum tour guide during the safaris. He always kept the Land Cruiser in tip top condition and tried his very best to ensure that we didn’t miss out on anything. We get to see so many awesome animals except for the elusive leopard, but James had tried his best. The tented accommodations throughout the safaris were amazing. We loved all of them and the foods served at the accommodations were so delicious and had exceeded our expectations. Our biggest surprise was when we were upgraded to a 5-star accommodation during our 2-day stay in Masai Mara. Back to Nairobi, Charles took us around Nairobi for the city sights. We especially enjoyed our time at Giraffe Centre. On our last day, we had planned to have a relaxing day in Nairobi but due an incident that’s going to take place in CDB where our hotel was at, we were advised to leave the area early in the morning. As our flight was scheduled to depart at midnight, we contacted Denis again and within 10 minutes, he made arrangements for us to visit Fairview Coffee Estate with lunch. We spent a few hours of enjoyable time there and with some time to spare, Charles drove us to visit Karen Blixen Museum. After that we departed for the airport with happy memories of our holiday in Kenya. Thank you very much Bushtop Team ie Denis, James and Charles!
Sharon Kuan
Malaysia
