Luxury African Safari tours in East Africa
Natural World Kenya Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 50-100 employees (Founded in 2002)
- Member Of:
- ATTA, ASTA, KATO, MCTA & Ecotourism Kenya
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $310 to $500 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
NZ
Email Gordon W a.k.a. Mzee Kuni | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our brilliant driver spotted "The Big 5" within 3 1/2hrs of commencing our 8D Safari in Masai Mara!
Preliminary investigations for our safari commenced one year before we actually arrived in Nairobi. I spent much time searching for recommendations, especially in TripAdvisor to which I have personally contributed for several years.
It soon became apparent that Natural World Kenya Safaris had gained a justified excellent reputation over many years.
My next step was to search the company website for a standard private safari for my wife and me before initiating contact, bombarding Duncan with a myriad of questions, and then fine-tuning results to suit our personal requirements. All my queries were answered in a prompt and professional manner, and nothing was too much trouble. Final choices came down to the level of accommodation i.e. Economy, Standard, or Luxury. We settled on the latter and were pleased that we did so. Also, in Kenya, the type of vehicle. We had the choice between the more basic, but albeit satisfactory Toyota pop-top mini-bus/van in Kenya and the more popular and slightly more expensive 4x4 Toyota jeep, which was the only choice across the border. We chose the former but would recommend paying that little extra for the jeep, especially if travelling in the rainy season. Having convinced myself that I had made an inspired choice of operator and safari all I had to do was to persuade my dear lady (this was the toughest part!) and shortly thereafter I proceeded with a confirmed booking.
Our 8D/7N safari was a round-trip from Nairobi encompassing Masai Mara, a brief visit to Lake Victoria, Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Tarangire.
The first 3 days were spent in Kenya, with our vehicle being the standard mini-bus. Our driver/guide Peter, was brilliant at spotting wild-life, and within 3 1/2 hours of our very first "Game Drive" in the Masai Mara we had not only seen "The Big 5" but a cheetah as well. Peter was also a very safe driver and stuck to the speed limit unlike many other operators who smothered us in dust as they "flew" past!
We farewelled both driver and vehicle at the border as is customary, and the formalities and changeover proceeded smoothly.
For the next 4 days in Tanzania, our driver/guide was Milton, another true professional spotter and careful/safe pair of hands, and the vehicle the ubiquitous "Toyota" pop-top 4x4 "jeep".
One major benefit of being on a private safari was that we had the final say with regard to the length of game-drives and on more that one occasion we called "time" early to return to our lodge for some much-needed rest and recuperation, having first satisfied our variety of wildlife for the day. Being on safari is hard and thirsty work! Our drivers were both tough champions and never once suggested that we end the day prematurely!
Our final driver for the last leg from the border to Nairobi was "Mzee" and we knew instinctively that we were in a good and safe pair of hands.
On the outskirts of Arusha we had a pre-arranged road-side meeting with Emanuel from "Comfort Holidays" who operate the Tanzania business on behalf of Natural World Kenya Safaris. Emanuel queried us on our feedback for our safari and assured us that any comments, positive or negative, would be followed up by senior management.
I'm pleased to say that we were extremely complimentary about all aspects of our safari with one exception, which was our final night's accommodation in Tarangire. We felt it did not measure up to the "luxury" standard we paid for. Later it was confirmed that Management most certainly do take notice as Humphrey, one of the Directors, personally contacted me and apologised.
As we neared Nairobi we were reminded as the traffic volume increased and traffic came to a crawl at times but Mzee was far more patient than I would have been had I been at the wheel.
The bottom line:
Would we recommend arranging your safari with Natural World Kenya Safaris?
Absolutely without any qualms at all!
Don't waste time thinking about it. Do it now. You will not regret the decision!
LT
Email Rimante | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent tour!
We chose Natural world safaris for our trip depending on good reviews found in internet and we are so happy about this choice! Our trip was very smooth, well organised and comfortable. We had only 6 days and we wanted to take most of it so we chose a very intense tour: Amboseli (1 night) - Lake Naivasha (1night) - Lake Nakuru (1 night) - Masai Mara (2 nights). It was intense but so well organised that only thing we had to do is to wake up early in the morning and just enjoy rest of the day. All the places we've visited were worth seeing, all accommodations we've stayed in - were breathtaking. This tour has a really good schedule: we've been on road a lot, but also we had some time to relax at lodges during midday. Also we would like to give extra thanks for our guide Mike. So knowledgeable, experienced and reasonable! we felt very safe and comfortable with him during all 6 days, always seeing the best views in the first rows!
DK
Email Emma | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Can only recommend!!
Not only did we have a great safari, but drivers, staff, guides etc. did everything they could to give us a memorable trip to Kenya. They even helped us get around, picked us up at the airport, hotels etc. Very friendly staff with a lot of knowledge.
US
Email Cesar | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
The tour operator was very professional and we were particularly pleased by the driver guides
Everything was first class.
The focus on ensuring that we saw all the animals on our bucket list was really appreciated.
HK
Email Kenny yan | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable trip!
I made an amazing trip with my wife in Africa last week. It was unforgettable experience for both of us. We met many different kinds of wild animals giraffes, zebras, cheetahs, leopards, wildebeest, kudus, rhinos, hippos... How fascinating Africa’s wildlife really is!! My wife loves watching flamingos dancing and flying. My tour guide George who is reliable, caring and experienced took us to the lake where over thousands flamingos staying in. We couldn’t believe what we saw in our eyes. It was fantastic!! I have to say Big Thanks for George how professional he is !He made our trip perfect. Hoping to explore Africa with you again next time.
Email Connie | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Personal attention and dedicated to pleasing guests. This is the company to book for your safari!
I had the pleasure of visiting northern Kenya (Ol Pejeta and Samburu) with Natural World Kenya Safaris last month and cannot fault their service. You'll find their prices are lower than other companies but don't assume this indicates inferior service, the great thing about Natural World is you are dealing directly with the operator, no agent or middle man, so their prices are very reasonable without forfeiting quality. This company has all the credentials (importantly they're a member of KATO, Kenya Association of Tour Operators, you can check out the website) which means once you've paid for your safari it's guaranteed. A big thank you to Philip, my driver, who was full of knowledge, competent on the rough roads and good company too! I was travelling on my own and always felt I was in safe hands. I also appreciated the flexible itinerary. In Samburu, I asked Philip if it was possible to visit a local village (this wasn't on the itinerary), he was able to arrange it for the next day. The lodges were great! However, you get to choose the level of accommodation with Natural World and Faith from the office in Nairobi gave me several choices of accomodation so I was able to look at the lodges and camps online before making my choice. I arranged my safari online with Faith, she always answered emails promptly and we also chatted via Skype. I was on safari for 6 days and Faith made phone contact a couple of times to make sure all was going well. Humphrey, the owner, did the same at the end of the tour. I was really impressed with the personal service. And many thanks for the Masai shuka! It was perfect to have in the car for chilly early morning game drives. I highly recommend this company, this was my second time to Kenya so I have a bit of experience with other tour operators and I'll definitely be contacting Natural World again for my next safari. Thanks to all the staff and see you next time!
CO
Email Alexandra | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very well organized!
After doing my quote request I received a warm adn detailed email. Based on different options (not necesarily the cheapest) I did my reservation.
Attention via email, and in person was extremely kind, all what was offerred was received. All the team did a fantastic job.
Lodger at the park was extraodinaire!
Thanks
EE
Email Kaia | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible 6-day safari in Kenya
We went on the Natural Tours Kenya Safaris 6-day safari from Nairobi to Mombasa and also arranged transfer from Mombasa to Watamu and back through this company. We were very satisfied. Based on our experience this company is correct, precise and trustworthy, and offers very high-level services. Our e-mails were answered very quickly, the replies were thorough. When it became clear that one in our group would not be able to come, they made quick rearrangements and recalculated the cost of the safari.
We chose the Luxury accommodations and paid more for the jeep and we feel that this was a good decision. With the jeep we had access to places where the van maybe would have had more trouble getting to and there was more room in the jeep. Our guide Patrick was an excellent driver and he knew nature and animal behaviour extremely well. We learned something new from him every day about nature and Kenya in general. Patrick has a very good eye and he found even the hardest to spot animals from the landscape: rhino, leopard and cheetah. We saw the Big Five and a lot of animals you would not encounter very often. We happened upon some extraordinary situations, for example we saw 14 lions eating a buffalo just by the road. During the 6 days we went to 4 national parks which were all very different in their nature and landscape. It was a very good way to see the country.
We chose the accommodation places so that we could also try sleeping in tents with all the amenities, and we were very pleased with all the places. The places we chose were: Sarova Mara Game camp (in Maasai Mara), Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort (in Lake Naivasha), Ol Tukaj Lodge (in Amboseli), Severin Safari Camp (in Tsavo West). Every camp and lodge was great and beautiful in its own way, each had its own atmosphere. In every camp there was a good variety of food and everything tasted delicious.
All in all an amazing experience that we will remember for the rest of our lives! We reccommend using Natural World Kenya Safaris for a truly incredible safari experience!
US
Email Carla | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Guides, Great Adventure!
My husband and I had the best experience with Natural World Kenya! Every communication was timely and thorough, and the tour they planned was comprehensive. The chosen accommodations were excellent, and the guides were very knowledgeable. We saw the Big 5 and MUCH more!
RU
Email Alisa | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
BEST HOLIDAY EVER! THANK YOU!
We were met at the airport and taken to the hotel in Nairobi, even for safari started the next day. Next day we met our safari guide (I cannot call him just 'driver') - Milton, who took us to Masai Mara - our starting point. The car was nice and comfortable, and Milton is a very safe driver, so you can sleep the whole way and don't bother about anything. We stayed at Sarova Mara, which is amazing! Staff is super friendly! We were debating about staying in tent, but it was very comfortable, it was a room with soft walls, rather than just tent. We loved Masai Mara - we saw the big 5 on the first day. We've also done the safari balloon there, which was amazing. It is another way to look whats happening on the ground and the sunrise is breathtaking. During other days, which we spent in Nakuru, Naivasha and Amboseli we saw hundreds of animals, and Milton was very good in finding them, stopping for good picture and giving information about them. Knowing that we wanted to see Mt. Kilimandjaro, which was covered for 2 days, he woke us up in the morning, when the clouds were finally gone and the sky cleared.
As for the accommodation - Sarova Mara, Lion Hill Sara at Nakuru and Ol tukai are amazing. Staff is very outgoing and friendly, food tasty, rooms clean. Sopa Lodge at Naivasha is not that good: accommodation is great and people friendly, but food....(((On the other hand, we stayed there just for one night, so overall it was ok. Btw we had an amazing boat trip there, don't miss a chance to visit Crescent island - you would love it!
Summing up, if you want to do safari in Kenya, choose Natural World Kenya Safaris and ask Milton to be your safari guide and this will be your best ever holiday! Lots of love and thank you, guys!