Part of the team in our office in Nairobi
Explorer Kenya Tours & Travel
- Office In:
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 2006)
- Member Of:
- ATTA, KATO & EAWS
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $200 to $600 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
US
Email Ashok | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Explorer Kenya is trustworthy, dependable, and provides exceptional service for Kenyan safaris.
This was my first visit to Kenya for a safari vacation and I planned it myself without using a travel agent. I was looking for a car and driver/safari guide to take me around the safari destinations. In doing some online research I came upon the name of Robert Murigi of Explorer Kenya Tours and Travel (WhatsApp: +254 778 170 650; email: [email protected]; website: www.explorerkenya.com ) and let him know I was wanting to go from Nairobi to Amboseli for 2 nights, West Tsavo for 1 night, East Tsavo for 1 night and then dropped off at Diani beach. Robert quoted me a fair price and I booked the trip and paid my deposit. Robert set me up with an amazing driver guide Bernard Njuni (WhatsApp: +254 725 744617;
Calls: +254 798 811 513 ;
email: [email protected]) who picked me up from my Nairobi hotel exactly at the agreed upon time. I was a bit nervous about this part of the trip planning since it was my first time and much depended on the driver being responsible. Bernard was exceptional full stop! He has a deep knowledge of the safari regions, the animal names and behaviors (including the numerous birds), the flora and fauna of the region and the history of Kenya. He is a great communicator and conversationalist and I learned a tremendous amount in a conversational format. I would highly recommend both Bernard and Explorer Kenya to anyone looking for a safari guide and driver. Do not bother hiring a spotter as well as Bernard is an excellent spotter too. I know that Explorer Kenya and Bernard do trips that also include other adventures besides safaris such as mountain climbs and other sporting activities but I don’t know the full extent of those services. Definitely call or email or Whatsapp to Explorer Kenya to plan your next Kenya adventure. You will not be disappointed!
Ashok
Seattle, WA USA
Email Mike Stammers | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Can't be beaten for Safaris
We have travelles on Safari with Explore twice now and would hope to do so again. Their knowledge of the Country and its wildlife is superb.
Email Bill | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Safari Experience!
Our Driver/Guide Henry was absolutely fantastic!
He was very experienced and knowledgeable about the areas and had a great skill to find and spot wildlife around the parks.
He made sure that the tour ran smoothly and punctually and made us feel completely at home.
Explorer Kenya were quick to respond and easily assisted any questions and queries that I had when making the booking.
We did a trip through Tsavo east, west and Amboseli parks, which provided a great diversity of wildlife and game viewing.
Henry was a great Guide, but also a fantastic advocate for sharing information about Kenyan culture whilst driving between locations.
Thanks for an amazing experience, 10/10 would recommend.
ES
Email Inigo Fernandez | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Perfect driver/guide
Our experience with Explorer Kenya was very good. We booked from our home country and all communication with the administrative staff was immediate and excellent. The car we were served, a Land Cruiser prepared, was ideal for us (8 people). We all had access to a window, the car was comfortable and had all the amenities. Perhaps we lacked a small fridge to cool refreshments but we didn't miss it much. The driver/guide, Daniel, was always kind and considerate of our attitude. If we wanted to talk he told us everything we needed to know about culture and nature (he has an encyclopaedia in his brain!!!). When we wanted peace and quiet, he kept the conversation in a calm tone. An excellent person. I would definitely recommend this company, and especially Daniel, to everyone.
NL
Email Rama | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Awsome
Our tour guide Jousef karibu made all our wishes came true. He was our tour guide in Kenya masai mara
He made all long distances short by tellng us stories. Funny philosophy educational great conversations .
He was a hard worker tour guide , in one day he showed all big five plus the migration of zebras from Mara river that crocodile attack them such a scenery .
Our Tanzanian tour guide Bariky also was so experinced and knowledgeable .
We were lucky with him.
He answers all our questions patiently.
We saw alot of lions while huanting with him
Our Amboseli tour guideJhon was also nice.
We took a lot of elephant with klimanjaro photos with his help
PL
Email Andrzej | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Safari was a great experience, but it could be better with a better service
Contact with the provider was minimal. I had to ask for all the information and all updates.
We were traveling as a family, but in the first lodge we had to stay in 2 rooms located far away from each other and with completely different standard. Our kids get sick during the journey. They had stomach problems. The driver helped us to get to the doctor. He was also sick.
The driver had good knowledge about animals, but sometimes he was lost. Like he was not aware where we stay last night, or how to get to the first lodge in Tsavo West. We had impression that our car was always leaving the parking as last one in the morning and that all other cars were passing us during the journey, so we always had late lunch and were in a hurry. Also, our start from Mombasa should be earlier but we were told to be ready at 8 AM.
Despite of above issue safari was a great experience, but it could be better with a better service.
US
Email Jennifer | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Well organized trip, good recommendations & great guide
Overall everything was great. Communication was very smooth, every recommendation was spot on. Delivered everything that was promised & more. Every hotel booking was secured and gave us good rooms. The vehicle was well maintained and company-owned and the guide was amazing (big shout out to James!). I would recommend all of my friends to go with the company.
CN
Email Zhang Xiaotian | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
take good care of yourself moses
First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the travel agency, Kenya Explorer, especially to our pre-trip consultant, Robert, and our guide, Moses. Robert was incredibly attentive and patient, especially considering this was my first visit to Kenya. He provided me with invaluable assistance and advice throughout the planning process. His genuine sincerity was truly appreciated. Once again, thank you, Robert.
Next, I'd like to talk about my good buddy, Moses. Moses is a witty, humorous, wise, and optimistic fellow who went above and beyond to answer our questions and provide guidance throughout the trip. He was extremely diligent and responsible. However, I would like to express my concern for his well-being and suggest that he take good care of his health by eating on time and taking precautions like wearing a mask during safaris to avoid respiratory issues.
Having covered these two important individuals, let's discuss accommodations and dining during this trip. The itinerary included Nairobi, Mount Kenya, Lake Nakuru, Maasai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Amboseli, and back to Nairobi, with corresponding hotels being Hilton Garden, Fairmont, Sweetwater, Nakuru Sopa, Ashnil, Naivasha Sopa, and Kibo. Considering overall dining and lodging experiences, I believe Naivasha Sopa deserves the top spot among lodges, and Ashnil is the best camp.
Lastly, I would like to mention a couple of regrets. Firstly, the main purpose of this trip was to witness the Wildebeest crossing, but unfortunately, we didn't get to see it. Secondly, I hope that in the future, Kenyan shops can be more welcoming and less pushy towards Chinese tourists. It's important not to overcharge or take advantage of visitors. The friendship between China and Kenya is longstanding, and it's essential to maintain a positive impression of Kenya and Africa as a whole for Chinese travelers.
Once again, I want to express my heartfelt thanks to Kenya Explorer, Robert, and Moses for making this trip unforgettable.
US
Email Elis | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable custom trip with an expert guide.
Our exceptional guide, John Kariuki from Explorer Kenya, accompanied us for a spectacular nine days in Kenya, at Amboseli and the Maasai Mara plus a couple of nights in Nairobi. He ensured our smooth check in at each camp and hotel, drove beautifully in the wild Kenyan traffic, and answered our many questions.
John says, ‘If you appreciate nature, it will appreciate you.’ We soon understood that this meant that if we trusted his expertise and didn’t approach our experience as if we were checking off animals on a list (“the big five!!”) or trying to see as many animals as possible, we would find ourselves in moment after unbelievable moment, after the crowd of other vehicles had raced off to the next sighting on the radio. As only one example of many, one late afternoon we watched an enormous crocodile heave itself onto the bank of the Mara River to sample a zebra several other crocodiles were already enjoying. Soon the other vehicles had sped away, and we watched the lioness that had likely made the kill and had it stolen by the crocs bathe herself on the bluff top above. We moved along the bank on our side and stopped mere feet from two male lions admiring the lioness. As we took in this scene—massive crocodiles devouring a zebra below, lions above—the sky over the Mara turned orange as the sun set next to an isolated thunderstorm laced with bolts of lightning. Not another safari vehicle in sight.
John is also great company, with a deep and personal knowledge of the flora and fauna of the region, care for the local community, and broad connections in the parks and camps. He helped us barter with the ladies selling goods at the park gates, took us to curio shops that support the community, and on our afternoon in Nairobi, he took us to Kobe Strong, which supports hundreds of women through bead making and other handicrafts.
If you’re looking to charge across the landscape counting the big five, this may not be the review for you. But if you want to go home with the memories of a lifetime and at least one new friend in Kenya, consider requesting John Kariuki at Explorer Kenya.
DE
Email Simon | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Bad driver did not deliver tour itinerary.
Maybe this experience is idiosyncratic, but our driver was not delivering the booked tour itinerary.
We booked a 3 days Amboseli safari, with a morning game drive on the last day.
The driver refused to deliver the morning game drive even though it was clearly on the itinerary. He also got aggressive ans insulting when we brought up the topic. My conjecture is that the driver wanted to pocket in the entrance fee for the park.
Further, on the way back, driver did not pay toll for expressway in Nairobi, letting us stand in traffic jam for 2 hours and unnecessarily prolonging the journey.
Also the convenience fee they charge on online payments is unreasonable.
Otherwise the service was okay but for the price I would expect differently.
Stay away from this provider.