Franco with happy clients In Mara :)
Spirit of Kenya
- Office In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2014)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $150 to $300 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
FI
Email Jato | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
5 star tour with a 5 star operator
My wife and I had visited National Parks in Tanzania and Botswana. This time we wanted to experience Kenya. After a rather lengthy online scanning for possible tour organizers I ended up contacting Spirit of Kenya. What a good choice that proved to be. I was impressed immediately by the very prompt reply to my enquiry. Once we got started Tiago the tour organizer helped me through the booking and planning process step by step. As a casual traveller there are a few things you definitely appreciate. That is a sense of trust and professionalism with your partner. Among other things you are about to transfer quite a large amount of funds overseas. With Tiago I never had any doubts about his and his company’s honesty and integrity.
The tour we chose was a 4 days Lake Nakuru and Masai Mara safari. Here and there the roads in Kenya may be quite bumpy. Not least inside the parks. In that respect our choice of minivan as a vehicle was probably not the best. However the extra cost for Land Cruiser in relation to benefits felt too high in our opinion. As it turned out minivan was really alright. But that is a decision everyone has to make themselves.
Our guide was Steven. He is a very skilful driver. His capability to navigate in Nakuru and Masai Mara is impressive. Despite having a van instead of a jeep we never got stuck in the mud, had no flat tires or any other problems with the car. Because of some heavy raining at nights the dirt roads in Masai Mara were partly heavily soaked. We did witness some cars being stuck in the mud. However it was nice to see the comradeship among the guides. Help is always available. Steven seems to know everyone out there. Communicating and information sharing between drivers seems to be essential in these safaris. Steven was a fitting guide for us. Some characteristics stuck out. He has an appearance of a very friendly, polite and quite modest man. Still you get the feeling that this guy knows what he is doing. Experience and professionalism sticks out. With him you are in safe and knowledgeable hands. As a guest there is just one thing for you to do. That is to relax and enjoy. He takes care of the rest. Safari guides have an exceptional ability to spot animals even with their plain eyes. Steven spotted a leopard in a tree. I simply could not see it until I took the binoculars. Amazing! Steven’s overall expertise further strengthened my opinion of Spirit of Kenya as an outstanding tour operator.
You can’t choose the weather or what you want see in the park. Lady Luck plays a major role. As I had some previous experiences of safaris I had some hopes to witness something extra spectacular. That did not fully happen. But it was not a problem. Fully realising that live safaris are not like TV documentaries. To witness for instance a ‘kill’ requires some extra luck. We saw the big five and all the major famous savannah animals. For me it was personally rewarding to see cheetahs. I had missed them in my earlier safaris. We saw two with their fresh kill. And even the next morning we saw another one eating his impala breakfast. In Lake Nakuru we saw several white rhinos and in Masai Mara among dozens of other fascinating sightings a mating couple of lions. In Masai Mara we stayed in Julia’s River Camp right on the banks of river Talek. At night we could sense and hear hippos moving, eating grass and grunting just next to our tent. What a captivating experience! Hey, we really are in the middle of wilderness!
We had a splendid time on our safari tour and I can sincerely give Spirit of Kenya full marks for the manner the whole trip was conducted in every aspect. If I choose to have yet another African safari I don’t need to look far for the organizer. Without hesitation I also dare to recommend Spirit of Kenya for all those who are pondering which one to choose from several tour companies.
Email James | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Outstanding from start to finish
I had never heard of Spirit of Kenya before I started to research the holiday, and selected them purely due to the positive Tripadvisor reviews. I am so glad that I did.
Vanessa was so helpful in the booking process, always quick to respond to emails and available on the phone when needed.
The itinerary that Vanessa guided us towards selecting was perfect. Martin our guide was outstanding. Everything that you want from a guide - friendly, knowledgeable, and probably most important of all - he was a very calm and safe driver.
There is one particular piece of advice that I would like to pass on. Vanessa recommended Eagle View camp for our stay in the Masai Mara. It is in a private conservancy, just outside the main Masai Mara area. It was such a good recommendation, and I would strongly advise anybody to stay in a private conservancy rather than the main Mara. We saw all the big 5, so many lions, and there were never more than two or three other vehicles looking at the animals at the same time. We took an afternoon trip to the main Mara, and then realised just how pleased we were not to be staying there. There were at least 30 vehicles surrounding one group of cheetahs. A private conservancy gives you a much more personal experience.
DE
Email Adam | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic in all areas!
Everything was fantastic! Communication through planning, pick up, traveling, lodging, everything! Would highly recommend!
Absolutely perfect experience!
Wow, what an amazing experience!
We travelled with our 4 children - all under 13 and from the start of our planning we were thrilled with Spirit of Kenya & Soul of Tanzania as Vanessa guided us without any difficulty and answered all our questions promptly.
We were able to tailor exactly what we wanted and had the most memorable and wonderful experience.
Our guide, Franko in Kenya was wonderful. Always smiling, friendly and helpful. We thoroughly enjoyed his company and the information he shared with us was fabulous.
Our guide in Tanzania was Daniel, who was completely amazing and so knowledgeable. We were extremely lucky with both our guides! Both so friendly and helpful.
Daniel even went as far as arranging a birthday cake for me as I celebrated my birthday in the Serengeti.
Can not recommend highly enough! We were even able to add a hot air balloon ride for our family.
Absolutely fabulous experience! Don’t be afraid to take your kids ... they’ll get so much out of such an amazing adventure.
TR
Email Doruk Muderrisoglu | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Tour Guide but needs better cars
We have been to a 4 day Safari Tour which was held by Spirit of Kenya.
Small Notes about our experience..
Tour Guide - Our tour guide Martin helped us a lot to find out many exotic animals in both Lake Nakuru National Park and Masai Mara National Park. He was so friendly and helpful with both safari trip experience and while we are driving between the different parks. He knows a lot about the animals and the national parks also and he knows where to drive for when looking for the animal. Great tour guide !
Cars - We had a Toyota Van for our safari. I personally do not have any preference when it comes to the car but on our way back to Nairobi, the car had some engine issues. I am not quiet sure if it a coincidence but that was kind of unlucky for us.
Food - Martin had some pre-prepared lunch for us for 2 days and I think they were pretty decent.
I can easily suggest Spirit of Kenya for your safari trip and especially Martin as your tour guide :)
AE
Email khulood | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
AMAZING
A massive THANK YOU for Spirit of Kenya for arranging the Maasai Mara trip and Tiago specifically.
To be honest, when we first booked our trip we were a bit concerned as we only got to know about your company through the internet, however, we were beyond impressed with your professionalism, flexibility and prompt responses we got from you which has all reassured us that we made the right choice.
We are also very grateful for our tour guide "Julius" AKA "Jassim" as we called him :) he was very caring and very punctual and he's the main reason we enjoyed our trip to the max.
Although we only had 1 and a half day, he made sure we got to see as many animals as possible and because of his experience we managed to witness 5 cheetah's hunt as well as the wildebeests river crossing, which was AMAZING!!!
Also, based on our observation of the other companies safari drivers, we are really happy with how polite he was with us and how considerate Julius was with the animals to ensure they weren't bothered while we had the maximum experience.
AE
Email Padmanabhan Krishnamachari | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding Safari.
After thinking over a year and making a lot of correspondence with Spirit of Kenya we chose to take a plunge. This 6 days safari in the heart of Kenya was made in the first fortnight of August 2019 included Lake Naivasha Lake Bogoria Lake Nakuru and finally Masai Mara. The response from customer service (Mr.Tiago), Logistics, Quality of cottage, vegetarian food and most important Guide (Mr. Eric) who was with us through the entire tour were par excellence. First Eric, from being a guide he evolved to become a friend. His knowledge of the terrain is immense. If at all we could see all the possible animals you could, the credit goes to him. Gentleman to the core he has shown humbleness, commitment, and service attitude that could envy any corporate employee. Full marks to him. Next, our expectations were surpassed on the choice of stay. We were brought so close to Africa's nature and unpolluted environment. Best experience of seeing Big 5 so close as well as other great creatures such as Zebra Giraffe Hippo countless flamingoes and a world of fauna unparalleled anywhere. Day 1-Hells gate trekking down volcanic remains was literally breathtaking. It called for pulling reserves of stamina but to see such natural beauty you need to exert a bit. Lake Naivasha Camp Carnellys -loved that stay close to the beautiful lake, the food was delicious. Drive on lake truly marvelous. Africa's lakes are too huge and glorious. We marveled at Hippos playing with family. Day 2- Bogoria Flamingoes -they say a Million of them- not possible to prove them wrong. You see them adorning the vast stretch of lake shorelines. Breathtaking and very beautiful. Hot springs breed them and indeed the springs were too hot to touch. Due to rising water levels, they are seen in the form of subsurface bubbles instead of raising stream (the sign of global warming). Stay at Camp Roberts was unique and calm and close to breathtaking lake Baringo where we had an evening ride by boat. Birds and sky made the ride more than colorful. Day 3 at Lake Nakuru, the safari was too good especially the Rhinos, Zebra, Warthog, Giraffe and countless Impala and Baboon monkeys. The stay at Punda Milias was class. Food was service were remarkable. Day 4 To Masai Mara- from Nakuru a 5-hour drive over the picturesque bumpy mountain route with fields of wheat maize and muti colored greens - children lining up on the roads waving hands-sharing their joy of seeing guests to their country. Kenya - nature, and humanity thrive in their smiles. Camp Oldaparai (2 nights stay) - a lovely one nests below a lovely hill -the young smiling team of hosts welcomes you to a couple of days of memorable stay of life. Conservation at best. A brief trailer of what we could expect next day was shown during a brief 2-hour drive inside the park in the evening. We almost were to sight the king on the hunt for its prey in its natural preserve. For some reason, it retreated. Day 5-Game drive at Masai Mara - looking at Big 5 - (Lions Elephants Rhinos Buffalo and Leopard)filled our entire day. We could see countless Wild beasts grazing the grasslands close to banks. We aspired to see the crossing of the river by hordes of these beasts but this is something possible if luck favors you. For us, it didn't. Crocodiles waiting for prey and Hippos noticed on the river. The vast terrain (any untrained driver would be lost in wilderness). The close coordination through Walkie Talkie symbolizes sharing and teamwork at best. Each and every guide helps one another to bring a great safari experience to their customers. We also could look from distance the side of Tanzania (Serengeti) from our side. Never we imagine going so close to big cats like that. They pass a brief look at you as if a sign of welcome and move on to their routines. With countless cars around they have got used to us seeing them it appears. Day 6 visit to Masai village- their humbleness and zest for a life closely in sync with nature brings you a new perspective to life. Return to Nairobi and en route, we stepped into Giraffe camp that breeds Rothschild type Giraffes (never miss). Our 6 days came to an end before we could even realize it. Our camera and cell phones had to work overtime to catch the glimpse of mother nature and its creations. Big thanks to Tiago who made it possible with his superb coordination till the tour started for us and Guide Eric for making it most memorable tour for us. All rolled into one-its Spirit of Kenya's safari tours kudos for the excellent job.
KW
Email Redha | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unforgetable Trip
Amboselie is not really big but packed with wildlife. Its really famous mostly for its elephants, among other animals like zebra's, gazelle , wildebeest , water buffalo , hypos, some lions , and birds. Life is concentrated around the swamps where most hang out.
I had 3 days ( 2 nights ) in Amboseli . Spirit of Kenya handeled my tour professionally and flawlesly from day 0 till dropping me off @ the airport in the end .
Im a photographer, and had specific needs (type of car , guide ) to make my trip succeful . I informed Spirit of Kenya of these requirements , and they exceeded my expectations .
The guide was extremely knowledgeable and understood exactly what I'm looking for . He knew animals where abouts , and there behavior which made my job so much easier and enjoyable . The car was in great condition, clean , and supplied with water bottles.
I would like to thank everybody @ spirit of kenya on making this unforgetable trip, and for next safari , it would be you guys .
FR
Email Ben H | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wonderful customised safari in Kenya
We had a wonderful safari in Kenya my wife and I. All the organisation made by Spirit of Kenya was just perfect and they did their best to personnalize our trip as much as possible.
Our guide was also fantastic; a great professional willing to share his knowledge with us.
I highly recommend Spirit of Kenya for your trip there.
Email Patrick | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing safari experience!
We just returned from an amazing Safari in Kenya and Tanzania. Before booking anything we read many reviews which helped us form our opinion of what to do, where to go and what safari company to choose. Here is a review of our amazing journey and hope this helps anyone making any decisions….
We booked our Safari with Spirit of Kenya and from the very beginning their customer service was excellent. The person in the office replying to our emails, Tiago, was very patient and helpful. He responded to all our emails very quickly and helped us understand the process of booking the Safari very well. Tiago gave us different pricing options and explained everything in detail every step of the way while tailoring the safari to our needs. This service was one of the main reasons why we chose Spirit of Kenya from among other Safari Operators. Although we booked everything with Spirit of Kenya, the safari in Tanzania’s side was taken care of by Soul of Tanzania.
Our first part of the Safari was in Kenya and we had Stephen who was our guide and game driver. Stephen was very experienced, knowledgeable, careful driver and took good care of us. We did the Kenya part in a 4x4 minivan which was good but maybe in hindsight we should have upgraded for a 4x4 Land Cruiser as the minivan could not go everywhere due to the limitations of the vehicle and very muddy roads. This was only a small issue and Stephen still managed to drive us around in Masai Mara and see many animals up close. The tented accommodation, Julia’s River Camp, was very good and the staff were very welcoming, attentive and helpful! The food with Spirit of Kenya was good and we enjoyed our picnic in the bush!
Next we needed to cross the border and start our journey in Tanzania. Be prepared for a very long and tiring drive!
In Tanzania and we visited Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. When we crossed the border we were greeted by Vincent who was our guide for the next part of the journey. Vincent was a great guide who drove us around in a very good 4x4 Land Cruiser (which was a great upgrade from the 4x4 Minivan - This also included a socket for charging our cameras and phones). Vincent was very sharp, adventurous and had hawk-like-eyes who could spot the smallest animal from miles away! We also had a few laughs together when we took a series of photographs with him on Christmas day in the middle of Serengeti Park!
In Serengeti we saw many animals and were much more abundant from what we saw in Masai Mara. This could be due to the time of the year we visited these parks. There were days were we saw up to 20 lions in one day! On our last day we went to Ngoronoro and visited the crater where we saw plenty of animals in the most beautiful surroundings!
In Serengeti we stayed at Pumzika Tented Camps which had a beautiful setting and beautiful tents. Their hospitality was also very good and friendly. In Serengeti we spent full days out and Soul of Tanzania provided us with hot lunches, including fruit, wine and coffee!!
At Ngorongoro we stayed at Rhino Lodge which was a basic and decent lodge. We somehow prefered the tented camps as these were more adventurous, however at Ngorongro the climate was very cold so we appreciated sleeping at a permanent lodge.
At the end of our safari Vincent drove us (a long drive!) to Arusha were we finished our safari and Soul of Tanzania also provided us with a complimentary airport transfer 2 days later.
We are very happy to have experienced this special part of the world with Spirit of Kenya and Soul of Tanzania! We managed to see hundreds of animals including the Big 5 on many occasions! Thank you all for making this experience such an unforgettable special one and for making new friends along the way!
Patrick and Maria