Taking you to the exotic African wild!
Morning Star Tours & Travel
- Located In:
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 2018)
- Member Of:
- IATA, KATO, AMREF & TOSK
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $134 to $806 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
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Email Sidd Ravishankar | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
From planning to game drives Morningstar delivered a flawless safari experience for our whole family
So where do I begin? An African safari is the stuff of dreams, often planned months or even years in advance. We, however, decided in July to travel in August, with just a month to plan what turned out to be one of the most memorable experiences of our lives.
I began by reading reviews on Tripadvisor and Safaribookings and contacted four to five companies. In the end, I narrowed it down to Morningstar and another very highly reputed operator with nearly flawless reviews. What tipped the scales in Morningstar’s favor was one person: Joysharon. She was prompt, flexible, and genuinely willing to work with both our budget and our preferred lodges. Most importantly, she was always accessible — whether on WhatsApp, email, or phone. I asked her countless questions, and she was consistently patient, kind, and helpful. She stayed in touch before, during, and even after our trip, which truly set her apart. Payments were also easy and stress-free. Unlike many others, Morningstar never pressured us to pay too early. I was able to settle the balance just a couple of days before departure. To the Morningstar team, in Joysharon you have a gem, and I hope you keep hold of her.
One of my requests while booking was to have Alex Masila as our guide along with a reliable vehicle. Looking back, that was the best decision we made. On an African safari, your guide makes or breaks the experience, and Alex made ours unforgettable. Traveling with two toddlers and two senior citizens, we needed someone understanding and accommodating, and Alex was exactly that and more.
Our journey took us to Lake Naivasha for a day, Lake Nakuru National Park for another, and then three days in the Masai Mara. We spent one day in the Mara Triangle and two days in the Greater Mara. Each of these safaris was unique in what it offered, and the variety of experiences has only left us wanting to return to Africa again.
From the very first day, it was clear that Alex doesn’t just guide safaris; he lives and breathes wildlife. A father of three himself, I could imagine what an inspiring mentor he must be at home, passing down his passion and knowledge to the next generation. His depth of understanding was extraordinary. From animal behavior and anatomy to birdlife, landscapes, and even the subtle differences between regions, Alex brought every sighting to life. With him, it was never just about spotting animals, it was about truly seeing and understanding them.
Over five days, Alex’s network and rapport with other guides ensured we never missed a moment. Even at busy sightings with many vehicles, he had an uncanny ability to position us perfectly, often in the best and closest spot. That personal touch transformed each encounter into something special.
In hindsight, choosing Morningstar was absolutely the right call. It was not only because of their responsiveness but because of the people behind it. Joysharon and Alex made the wilderness feel like home, and for that, we will always be grateful.
PL
Email Jacek | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Responsible & professional
I have chosen Morningstar Safari because of interesting offer covering all Key national Parks both in Kenia and Tanzania. And I am not dissapointed at all. With the Assistance of our guides we were succesful in Game drive having the Opportunity to see the Big Five, wildbeast migration and a lot of birds. The organisation and constant care provided by Alice the manager was very professional
AT
Email Katrin & Alex | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very experienced, helpful and organised!!
We started our safari at Nairobi. Our guide James picked us up from the hotel and we then drove to Masai Masa - Lake Nakuru and Amboseli.
With James we experienced a better safari than we could have imagined.
In Masai Mara we already saw 4 of the Big Five, completing that mission in Lake Nakuru 😊
James always stayed as long as needed so we could see all the animals as long as possible. He shared many facts about the wildlife - in the most friendly and funny way 😊
We really enjoyed our 6-day Safari and we definitely are planning to come back any time soon! 😊 thank you for everything!!
MY
Email Maryam Wong | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Memories maker
The safari experience started with our tour advisor Dennis. He is always quick to turn around with all our queries and changes. He even make sure we have the best ride to help with my son motion sickness. Dennis also make sure our special dietary needs are met at all the lodges we are staying in.
We were picked up by Alex in Nairobi in Maasai Mara Kenya. Alex is such a knowledgeable guide of the Maasai Mara. He knows the best time to get out to the park which is first in the park and within 5 mins we saw a pride of lions playing together against the sunrise backdrop. He just know the best place to place the vehicle to get the best view. We even sighted 3 attempts of a cheetah chasing after his prey.
The next day he send us to Tanzania border to meet up with another great guide, Jackson.
Jackson is very careful driver which we deeply appreciate. Driving around the Serengeti is not for the faint of heart. Safety is a top priority for the animals and us. He has deep knowledge of the animals and also the vegetation ard Serengeti. Which is a plus! His great rapport with other guides has gotten us front row seat sighting of a leopard in the Center Serengeti.
Both Alex and Jackson had deep love for their profession which we deeply appreciate.
MY
Email Runiza | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
We couldn’t have asked for a better safari guide—professional, caring, and deeply knowledgeable
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
From start to finish, our safari guides exceeded expectations! Our six days and five nights across Kenya and Tanzania were filled with learning, laughter, and unforgettable wildlife encounters. Alex, our Kenya guide, was an expert at maneuvering the jeep and finding every animal we hoped to see. Jackson, our Tanzanian guide, was the friendliest guide we could ask for! Both were professional, caring, and deeply knowledgeable. Thanks to them, our safari was seamless, exciting, and full of memories we’ll treasure forever.
CA
Email JV | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great planning, reliable service, and unforgettable wildlife experiences
My wife and I did a 10-day private safari in Kenya and Tanzania with Morningstar. We started in Nairobi and went to Lake Nakuru National Park (1 night), Masai Mara National Park (2 nights), Northern Serengeti National Park (1 night), Central Serengeti National Park (1 night), Ngorongoro Crater National Reserve (1 night), Tarangire National Park (1 night), Amboseli National Park (2 nights), and finished in Nairobi again.
We saw everything we wanted and more. We saw the Big Five, the wildebeest crossing the Mara River, and animals very close by. We even saw a lioness hunt and catch a wildebeest.
On the booking side, we quoted with four different companies. The prices were very similar, and what made us choose Morningstar was the reviews, but mainly the booking process. The digital itinerary provided was excellent. It had all the information we needed, including recommended stays and alternative options with costs. That made our lives easier since we wanted to choose where to stay. Dennis was also great at replying quickly and addressing all our concerns.
As we did Kenya, Tanzania, and then back to Kenya, we had three drivers/guides. All three were punctual and respectful.
Rono was our driver in Kenya, from Nairobi to Lake Nakuru and the Masai Mara. He was amazing. He always wanted to know our goals for the day and did his best to find the animals. He positioned the car perfectly for sightings and was a great spotter. I mentioned I was interested in birds, and he noticed and pointed out many of them.
Jackson was our driver in Tanzania. He was also great in different ways. He was calm and patient, and he waited with us for five hours to see the wildebeest cross the river. He kept the car super clean every day and drove very safely. The only downside was that his car seats didn’t recline, which matters on long drives between parks.
Our last driver, Masila, was not as good. We stayed with him for three days from the border to Amboseli and Nairobi. Each morning, the car smelled bad, similar to marijuana. He didn’t put much effort into looking for animals and was not monitoring the radio much. On the positive side, he followed our requests for departure and return times. However, his drive back to Nairobi was too reckless, speeding and driving a bit dangerously.
Roads in general are rough. Many main routes between parks are unpaved and very bumpy, especially from before the Masai Mara up to Ngorongoro. This made the transfers uncomfortable. My wife was motion sick almost every day after day three, so be prepared with medication if you are prone to it.
If we were to do a safari again, we would choose fewer days and fewer parks. A 7-day safari would be more than enough, as the long drives get tiring. We would also spend more nights in fewer parks. For us, Lake Nakuru, Masai Mara, and maybe Amboseli (for elephants) would be enough to see everything, except the river crossing, which we saw in the Northern Serengeti.
Most of the stays we had were mid-range, and they were really good. All were clean, beautiful, organized, and had good food. We even gained some weight during the trip. We loved the tented camps, which were well organized and even had hot showers inside the tents. I would say it is not necessary to book luxury lodges, since you don’t spend much time there anyway. Most days, we arrived around 5 or 6 PM and left again between 6 and 7 AM. One thing we didn’t like was that the staff gave us too much attention. They often wanted to ask how our day was, which was kind, but sometimes we were just too tired after a full day in the car.
I really loved the trip. It is expensive, but it is a trip of a lifetime. I spent almost the whole day looking through the roof of the car for animals when we were in the parks, and I enjoyed every bit of it.
My wife had a different take. Because of the bad roads, she got motion sick for several days, and for her, the discomfort outweighed the excitement at times. She also didn’t enjoy being in the car for almost 12 hours a day, with only a picnic lunch and quick bathroom breaks in the wilderness.
Still, I definitely recommend Morningstar Safari Tours. They delivered on what they promised, and it was an unforgettable trip that we would do again with them.
US
Email Sarah B. | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The service is fantastic!!! Miss Joysharon was such an angel to help and check on us everytime.
I was in awe with how excellent our Kenyan Safari went. Our tourguide and driver Tim was soo patient to show us all the animals beyond our expectations. He is always energetic and kind. Always smiling. Also shoutout to Joysharon for helping us since the beginning of our trip. She always check on us everytime. She is such an angel. I met her when we droppedby at Nairobi. Anyways, I also say the accommodation was fantastic. Everything was great!!! If I will be doing Safari tour again I will definitely be booking with Morning Star!!!
US
Email Anil | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
An unforgettable adventure of a life time
My wife and I just finished a 10-day private safari in Kenya - and were stunned by the amazing diversity of the animals and beauty of the various national parks. Dennis was our tour consultant and we selected Morningstar based upon the prompt and detailed price quotations he provided and the ratings on SafariBookings. He adjusted the itinerary based upon our selected parks, Nairobi - Amboseli - Naivasha - Ol Pejeta - Samburu - Nakuru - Masai Mara. Overall, the itinerary was organized very well, good accommodations and included airport transfers. Thanks Dennis.
As to the parks themselves, they were even better than our expectations. From the views of Mt Kilimanjaro, elephant herds of Amboseli, the beauty of Naivasha, special 5 of Samburu, flamingos of Nakuru to the unique vistas of Masai Mara with the big 5 - unforgettable moments.
James was our guide for the trip. He is very knowledgeable about all the parks and wildlife, highly skilled in spotting different animals, and turned out to be a photography enthusiast who offered to take photos with the long lens from driver seat. He surely has an eye for taking great photos and certainly helped capture some moments that otherwise would not have been possible. Thank you James.
We ended up giving 4 stars instead of 5 due to certain aspects that Dennis and James could have done better. Given the road conditions and traffic, anticipated transit times between parks was too optimistic, would have appreciated advice to reduce some parks. James should have checked that the Land Cruiser sliding windows could be easily opened and showed us how to operate them on day 1 so that photos could have been taken easily without having to climb up on seats and take from the open top only. He should also have been punctual on pickups, not spend inordinate amount of time on phone during game drives and should have gotten our agreement to any changes to daily activities specified in the itinerary with us.
Overall, we had an unforgettable experience and would recommend Morningstar.
Email Ang | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fabulous Safari in Kenya - Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Amboseli Park
From the moment Morningstar replied to my initial query I knew I was in safe hands. Alice provided me with a very professionally made proposal which clearly listed out the costs and itinerary. She answered all of my questions and queries (of which there were many) quickly and put my mind at ease. She was able to tweak the itinerary when I said we'd like to end our holiday at Diani Beach and suggested the train from Emali to Mombasa and booked us a taxi at the other end. This saved us hours of travel time and so glad she suggested it.
Once on safari Julius was our guide. He was brilliant and without him I don't think we'd have seen any animals! We saw loads of lions in the Maasai Mara, 12 rhino's in Lake Nakuru and elephants as far as the eye could see in Amboseli Park - he just knew where to take us. He answered all the questions we had, never rushed us when we were looking at something particularly exciting (in my case elephants), was always on time and made the whole safari fabulous.
Morningstar also upgraded our accommodation in the Maasai Mara which was a complete surprise and I can't thank them enough for this. It was absolutely beautiful.
I would wholeheartedly recommend Morningstar for your safari in Kenya.
GR
Email Venia | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The tour operator (Alice) was really helpful and accomodating.
Our Safari trip with the Morning Star tours was such a unique experience. Both Alice (the tour operator) and Timo (our guide driver) were amazing. They gave us a lot of information and arranged the whole trip almost perfectly. Everything was really organized and well scheduled. Timo is a really experienced Safari driver. He knew all the good spots for animal watching. We didn't miss a single one of the Big Five thanks to him. Alice was also very kind. We were in contact during the whole tour, answering super fast all the questions we might had. All in all it was an incredible adventure and I recommend it!
