Inspired Budget Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2010)
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $150 to $300 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Jerry | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
I suggest you do not book with this company
I booked this safari back in February this year for myself and my wife. The reviews seemed good and they offered me a good itinerary. I contacted the company and they responded immediately. I paid the deposit and started saving from my pension. I later had a request to pay an instalment earlier than stated but it seemed reasonable. I became suspicious when they requested the remainder of the money earlier than stated but by then we had bought the air ticket so I paid up. What a mistake. Two days before we were due to fly I received an email telling me that the safari was cancelled due to "operational dificultious" and that a full refund would be issued within a week. It wasn't, I emailed them again with the same responce. Now when I email or phone I have no reply. I have tried to get my money back from the travel insurance but with no luck so far.
My bank claims that this is a scam but looking at the reviews it does seem as if the company started having problems in late August. I have informed the Competition Authority of Kenya and the Tourism Regulatory Authority (TRA) of Kenya. I would recommend that anyone considering booking a safari with them look elsewhere. I doubt that I will get any of my money back.
Email Carolina | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
DO NOT PAY THIS COMPANY – They have kept my deposit despite repeated refund promises
DO NOT PAY INSPIRED BUDGET SAFARIS ANY MONEY!
I paid Inspired Budget Safaris a deposit in May 2026 for a private family safari for six people.
Our original agreement was clear: 30% deposit to secure the booking, with the remaining 70% payable at their Nairobi office before the safari.
After receiving my deposit, however, they began pressuring me to send further payments in advance, telling me that the hotels were requesting additional money and that there was a risk that our accommodation reservations could be lost if further payments were not made.
This was completely different from the payment terms originally agreed and made me increasingly uncomfortable. I therefore cancelled the booking.
Lina Margaret subsequently agreed in writing to refund the full deposit. They have not paid.
What is even more alarming is that, since I paid them, numerous extremely serious reviews from other customers have appeared reporting very similar experiences, including pressure for additional payments, cancelled or interrupted safaris and promised refunds that have not been received. SafariBookings itself now displays a warning stating that it has received “severe complaints from clients about Inspired Budget Safaris.”
I am also extremely concerned that the proposal they provided before I paid expressly stated “We are KATO bonded.” Yet in Inspired Budget Safaris' own public response on this website dated 25 August 2026, the company stated that it was “currently in the process of applying for membership.”
I have now reported this matter to the relevant Kenyan tourism and regulatory authorities and am contacting SafariBookings, as well as the
As of 5 October 2026, Inspired Budget Safaris still has my money.
My advice to other travellers is simple: DO NOT SEND THIS COMPANY MONEY.
I will update this review if and when the full deposit is returned.
Email Lestraw | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Please read all reviews carefully
I made contact with this company in July 2026 to book a dream African holiday. Reviews seemed pretty good but first alarm bell was when Lina sent the quote and itinerary and the description in the daily itinerary didn’t match the location. They had probably used AI to create the document. Then on further research I found they weren’t accredited via Kenya lead tourism body. I them messaged an accommodation provider who hadn’t heard of them. I just today thought I’d recheck the reviews and I have been vindicated by some horrific recent experiences from poor travellers! BEWARE!
ES
Email Nacho | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
They cannot be trusted
I simply made the necessary transfers. I was told via WhatsApp that I could cancel it for free up to a month in advance. I tried to cancel, but they never replied. PLEASE, do not pay attention to the positive reviews; I imagine they are fake.
IT
Email pan | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Deceiving consumers
My experience with Inspired Budget Safaris was extremely disappointing and, in my view, completely unacceptable.
I booked a 6-day safari for September 23–28, 2026. According to the original agreement, I was required to pay 30% as a deposit, with the remaining 70% to be paid at their office before the safari.
However, after I had already paid the deposit, the company repeatedly changed the payment arrangement and pressured me to pay the remaining balance in advance. I was repeatedly told that if I did not make the additional payment immediately, they might not be able to arrange my safari.
Because I was worried about losing my safari and my entire trip was approaching, I eventually paid the full USD 1,910.
And after receiving the full payment, everything changed.
The safari was not provided at all. I had to find another safari operator at the very last minute, while already in Kenya.
The company then confirmed in writing that they would give me a full refund. However, despite this written promise, I still have not received my USD 1,910 back.
From my experience, I feel that I was repeatedly pressured to pay money that was not due at that time, and once the company received the full payment, they failed to provide the service and have still not returned my money.
This was not simply a bad safari experience — there was no safari at all.
I trusted this company, followed their payment requests, and paid everything they asked for. In return, I was left without the service I paid for, forced to make emergency alternative arrangements, and am still fighting to get my money back.
I strongly advise other travelers to be extremely careful before making any payment to this company. Get every payment term in writing and do not assume that paying in full will guarantee that your safari will actually take place.
I am still waiting for the full USD 1,910 refund that the company promised in writing.
Email Bhavna | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Please don’t book with them.
I booked 13day trip for Kenya and Tanzania with this company. From the beginning, it seemed unorganized. There were few hiccups not only during Kenya tour but Tanzania was not at all organized by them. I was left on my own and had to contact other tour operators for continuing Tanzania part. It has been 10 days and I still haven’t received refund of my money despite them making promises. I paid a lot to carry on Tanzania portion as it was last minute plus the anxiety and frustration was always there. They don’t pickup calls either, text when they want to respond back and their sincerity in action is totally missing. I will be filing complaint with Kenya tourism authorities as well to have their license revoked. Totally unprofessional behaviour and unethical conduct on their part.
CA
Email R White | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Choose another company
This tour picked us up and then it went downhill. Initially there there too many people in the cars and other minor issues. Then we were extorted for over $4000us and abandoned in Tanzania. Choose another company.
Outstanding professional, responsive and accomodating tour operator, for an unforgettable trip !
I booked the "14-Day Kenya and Tanzania Budget Group Joining Cruiser Safari" trip, 14 days/13 nights from August 3 to August 16. And I couldn't be happier about my choice, both with the agency and with the kind of trip itself.
As a young man travelling on a budget, I knew I couldn’t afford a luxurious safari, and I also wanted to make the most of my time and see as many animals and places as possible. After all, it's a once-in-a-lifetime trip !
Then I found this budget-friendly trip that offered exactly what I was looking for... And I fell in love with it.
From the moment I started looking into the trip and got in touch with the agency in February, all the way through to the very end of the trip in August, Lina Margaret was always incredibly available and responsive.
She took the time to answer every question I had, whether it was about the schedule, the itinerary, logistics, payments, accommodation, or anything else. It honestly felt like having 24/7 assistance throughout the entire process, which was very reassuring especially since that it was my first trip of this kind, and so far away from home.
Even during the safari itself, she would regularly check in to make sure everything was going well and was always ready to take care of any issue that might come up, as well as answer any questions I still had.
Thanks to her support, I was able to go on this trip with peace of mind and fully enjoy every moment without having to worry or second-guess anything. I honestly didn’t expect this level of dedication and professionalism from a budget-friendly agency, and it really exceeded my expectations !
Concerning the itinerary and the Wildlife:
Over the course of 14 days, we were able to visit a wide variety of places across Kenya and Tanzania, alternating between savannahs, forests, lakes, plains, hills, wetlands, canyons and calderas, sometimes made even more spectacular by breathtaking sunrises and sunsets.
The wild environment also gave us incredible views of the Milky Way, while our visit to a Maasai village offered us a truly immersive cultural experience.
With such a long trip, we maximized our chances of seeing our favourite animals and, of course, the famous Big Five, despite the unpredictability of Nature. We got to see a leopard resting on its tree; a cheetah feeding on its prey, surrounded by hungry vultures; topis battling it out; giraffes playfully sparring; lion cubs playing together (maybe *the* highlight of the trip in my opinion); a fish eagle catching a fish; a pregnant lioness perched in a tree; a herd of elephants walking right in front of Mount Kilimanjaro; vast colonies of flamingos and pelicans resting along the shores of the lakes...
We were also lucky enough to see plenty of babies — zebras, wildebeest, elephants, baboons, and lion cubs. Unfortunately, we didn't get to see any snakes, a hunting scene, or any fight between different species. But I guess that gives me an excuse to come back!
Concerning the drivers and guides:
The taxi driver who picked me up at Nairobi airport before the safari started was exceptional! He waited for me much longer than expected because of the lengthy passport checks, and stayed with me and helped me find a hotel after I got scammed with my first accommodation (which I had booked myself, Inspired Budget Safaris had absolutely nothing to do with it).
Without him, I would have ended up in a sketchy area on the outskirts of Nairobi in the middle of the night. It was quite a chaotic start to the trip, but everything worked out well thanks to the professionalism and kindness of the driver hired by Inspired Budget Safaris.
After joining my group for the Kenya part of the safari, we met our first guide. He was friendly and accommodating, although not particularly talkative.
The transfer/taxi between Kenya and Tanzania took place in fairly basic conditions, but I guess that's sometimes the price you pay when travelling on a budget.
For the Tanzania part of the trip, our second guide, Simba, was incredible. He was very cheerful and you could tell that he had real expertise and plenty of experience in the safari industry (if I remember correctly, he told us he had been doing this for 10 years). He was constantly communicating over the radio with his contacts to find out where the action was and take us to the best spots. Thanks to him, we were able to see the only leopard of the entire trip, as well as the wildebeest crossing the river. He was also very good at keeping a group of tourists entertained. He was more than just a driver and more than just a guide — he was a true entertainer. If the first week had already been fantastic, he somehow managed to take the second week to a whole new level!
Overall, the guides were excellent drivers who handled the challenging roads brilliantly. Several times, I genuinely thought the vehicle was going to tip over! Yet we never had a single accident, breakdown, or vehicle-related issue throughout the entire trip.
The vehicles themselves were surprisingly comfortable, at least in my opinion. So comfortable that I didn't mind spending most of my time in them, whether during game drives or while travelling between parks and accommodations. They had pop-up roofs, sliding windows, and power outlets to charge our devices, which was really convenient.
Concerning the accomodation and food:
As expected, the accommodation was fairly basic, especially during the Kenya part of the trip, in my opinion. It wasn’t luxurious, but given the price of the trip, that was perfectly understandable. That being said, the beds were comfortable, I didn’t have a single problem, and thankfully, there were no animals or huge bugs in my rooms! Being a solo traveller, I always had my own private room.
The accommodation in the middle of the savannah has a very special charm. It may be less comfortable than some of the hotels we stayed in in the cities, but it allows you to be completely immersed in nature. I got to watch a distant thunderstorm light up the sky over the Masai Mara, admire the Milky Way above the Ngorongoro Crater (definitely worth braving the freezing cold) and watch the sun rise over Mount Kilimanjaro in Amboseli.
It is quite an incredible experience hearing the wildlife becoming active at night, especially the sounds of birds and hyenas, and sometimes even zebras. It really adds a wild and adventurous feeling to the trip. One evening, while we were having dinner outside at our camp in the middle of the Serengeti, we even spotted a hyena watching us from right next to the buildings!
Alternating between basic accommodation in the middle of the savannah and more comfortable places in the cities allowed us to enjoy the best of both worlds: a true wilderness experience combined with the comfort of staying in town. Experiencing only one or the other would mean missing out on a whole part of the adventure!
In the end, the accommodation was actually cleaner and more comfortable than I had expected, and some places were even upgrades from the accommodation that had originally been planned.
As for the food, it was good during the Kenya part, although I have to admit that the lunch boxes weren’t particularly to my taste. But hey, that’s part of the adventure!
The Tanzania part, on the other hand, completely blew me away. I ate like a king! The food was excellent, both at the accommodation and during meals in the middle of our game drives. For lunch, these weren’t just lunch boxes: there was a sort of cooler in the vehicle, allowing our guide to bring proper food and tableware with us. Just thinking about the food in Tanzania makes me hungry all over again!
Concerning the group experience:
The group dynamic was quite different between the two weeks, because of the logistics.
During the first week in Kenya, the group changed quite a lot. Some people joined partway through the week while others left, so there was a constant turnover. Because of this, we never really had enough time to break the ice and get to know each other. Everyone mostly kept to themselves, although the atmosphere remained friendly throughout.
The second week in Tanzania was a completely different experience. I stayed with the same people for the entire week, which gave us plenty of time to get to know each other, chat, share experiences and even meet up for meals. By the end, there was a really great atmosphere within the group. Our guide, Simba, also played a big part in that. His cheerful personality and positive energy really helped bring everyone together and made the whole experience even more enjoyable. It was a great group atmosphere overall, and I genuinely enjoyed spending time with everyone.
Concerning the negative points:
Every honest review should have a “negative points” section, but the trip was so incredible that it’s going to be difficult to find many!
During the Kenya part, I found that the game drive timings were not ideal: we would leave in the early morning, but the sun was already up, and we would return to camp before sunset. In comparison, in Tanzania, we started several game drives at dawn, as the sun was rising, and we got to see several sunsets in the savannah, while we were still inside the parks.
Still regarding the game drives in Kenya, on the last day we were supposed to go on one final game drive in Amboseli before heading to the Tanzanian border. The game drive was very, very short compared to the others, barely two hours, and we didn’t stop a single time, apart from at the beginning to take pictures of the animals with Mount Kilimanjaro in the background. I therefore felt like we had simply driven towards the border through the park, rather than having a proper game drive where the guide would actually try to look for animals while driving around the park.
As an optional activity, I would have really liked the possibility of doing a night game drive, to drive through the savannah in the middle of the night.
Regarding communication, there were a couple of very minor hiccups. First, some of the accommodation listed in the custom-made quote was different from what we actually stayed in. This wasn’t really a problem, as I was never given accommodation of a lower standard than what was planned, and in any case, our guide took care of getting us there. But from a planning perspective, it was unexpected.
Secondly, once we arrived in Tanzania, we were supposed to be briefed by a representative. However, he didn’t let me know that he had arrived. Thankfully, Lina Margaret was available on WhatsApp to send me the briefing summary.
Conclusion:
This trip will stay in my memory forever: driving through the savannah, watching predators, walking alongside giraffes and zebras, admiring the beauty of the wild, meeting and talking with Maasai warriors, and photographing these wild animals that fascinate us all, in their natural environment. It was a dream come true. You really feel like you’re in The Lion King!
I don’t think there could be a better itinerary in terms of value for money. The total length of the trip, the number of game drives, the diversity of the places we visited, the delicious food, the at least very decent comfort of the accommodation, and the quality of the service and support provided by Inspired Budget Safaris and their partners (drivers, guides, etc.) all made this an incredible trip that I would highly recommend to both solo travellers and people travelling with others!
CH
Email Aline | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable 14-Days on Safari in Kenya and Tanzania 🤩
We had a wonderful safari and a truly amazing time! From the very first contact through the entire trip, we were taken care of exceptionally well. Lina was always easy to reach, patiently answered all our questions, and responded very quickly to any concerns. That put us at ease and made the trip enjoyable from the very beginning.
The organisation of the safari also went very smoothly. Our guides/drivers were friendly, reliable, and made many wonderful experiences possible for us. We’ll especially cherish the memories of our game drives together. The accommodations even exceeded our expectations and were consistently very nice. The food was also good and, overall, we enjoyed it very much.
All in all, it was a wonderful and unforgettable trip. We thoroughly enjoyed our time there and would definitely recommend the safari and the organisation to others!
FR
Email Thierry L | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A safari turned nightmare
We booked a "14-Day Kenya & Tanzania Budget and Midrange Group Cruiser Safari" for August 10–23, 2026.
From day one, we noticed that the 4x4 Land Cruiser was in poor condition—dirty and lacking proper suspension.
That very afternoon, the vehicle broke down, and the entire group had to be split up among other vehicles to continue to the Masai Mara. Naturally, we couldn't take our luggage with us; we didn't get it back until around 9:00 PM, when the vehicle finally arrived—supposedly repaired.
On the second day, during the game drive in the Masai Mara, the vehicle broke down again, and once more, we had to be distributed among other vehicles.
We had been asking for a different vehicle since day one, but apparently, that wasn't possible; however, the third day went smoothly.
On the fourth day, en route to Amboseli, the vehicle broke down yet again, and this time we made our dissatisfaction with the agency very clear! Aware of the many negative reports indicating that vehicles in Tanzania were even worse than those in Kenya, the agency offered us two options:
- An upgrade to a private vehicle for an additional fee of $3,200!
- A return to Nairobi and a $7,200 refund for the Tanzania portion of the trip.
Since we refused the paid upgrade, the only option they gave us was to return to Nairobi, with them "offering" us two nights at the After 40 Hotel—and a ruined vacation.
We met Lina Margaret at the hotel on August 16; she apologized and assured us we would receive a prompt refund. After a bogus bank transfer (the proof provided wasn't even stamped by the bank), a failed attempt via Pesapal—which cut ties with the agency due to insufficient funds in their account—and a request from me to use Wise, it is now September 4, 2026, and we are still waiting for a refund!
We had no choice but to file a police report and alert the TRA, who confirmed they are looking into the matter.
My wife posted a review on safaribookings.com; the agency responded with lies, claiming to safaribookings.com that we had never traveled with them... and the review was removed...
They keep giving us the runaround, claiming they are a small agency with limited resources but promising to refund us. I even proposed a payment schedule, but still nothing...
Upon closer inspection, they have nothing but 5/5 reviews on safaribookings.com and Google; this seems suspicious and leads me to believe the reviews were generated by AI.
I will update this review once we have been refunded.