The team
Karibu Safaris In Kenya
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 1986)
- Member Of:
- KATO, Tourism Regulatory Authority & Eco Toursm Kenya
- Tour Types:
- Small & medium group tours (Mid-range & luxury)
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $80 to $280 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
MY
Email Boey | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Thanks Karibu for the amazing tour. All the arrangement is great and smooth, and good follow up.
Special thanks to Robert, Raymond and Dan Castro.
Raymond, our safari's guide is very patient and knowledgeable about the animals, he always try his very best to show us as many animals as possible, therefore, we were able to spot all the big 5!
Dan Castro, friendly, very enthusiastic and passion for his job, the tour to the elephants orphanage & giraffe center wouldn't be great if without Dan. We had great time!
And thanks to Robert for arranging the tour, speedy response regardless day or night, really salute that!
Glad that we have chosen Karibu Safaris. No regret at all.
US
Email Metira | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
3 day Masai Mara with cool driver
This review will be long but I will tell you everything I could.
The tour is actually below $300. I guess maybe I went to the off migration season. I’m solo/female which actually have to share a room with another female so I paid a little extra to make sure I’ll get my own room. Our group was lucky because turn out it’s only 3 people total so we feel like a private tour. Haha
It’s a van not Jeep but this price you will always get a van. The van is an open roof. There are 3 seat rows. They said maximum will be 7 people so that means 2 people per row. Everybody gets window and 1 will be at the front seat next to the driver. The front seat will not be able to stand but you get the nice view as well. The passenger side, definitely the 1st and 2nd rows are the best because you can get to stand easily to the roof and last one in the back can get to stand too but quite difficult and have to share with the middle. Like I said we are only 3 people so plenty of room to move around for us.
Karibu offered airport pick up or hotel pick up for free while the others charge extra for airport pick up. My flight supposed to arrive at 5am and Robert said no problem to pick up that early but I was delays 2 hours and they still wait for me! I was so impressed. I was so scared on the plane that they will leave me behind and I can’t call or contact them because I was inside the plane already so there was no service and it just parked there for technical problem. As soon as I got off, I call right away and he said still people wait for me outside. Thank you, Karibu.
After the airport pick up, we headed to the city to pick up another 2 and we made a cash payment USD on the van. Then we drove off to Masai Mara national park which took us around 6-7 hours but we had lunch break and souvenir stores in the middle. The road was good for the first half and you can sleep but the second half were so rocky and dusty. You definitely cannnot sleep and have to find something to cover your nose.
The accommodation is actually better than I thought. It is not exactly what they say on the website but the same class/level. Mine called ‘Miti Mingi Ecocamp’. You will find out there will be a lot more people from the other tour joining as well so I guess they have all connections. It’s like a place for budget travelers. You get to sleep in the big tent with your own bed. The bathroom is en suit so no sharing. There is no lock only zipper and they have hot water all the time but light only certain hours in the morning and night. No more light after 10pm. No internet. No outlet in tent. You have to charge everything in the dining room in centaines hours. They provide the 2 kind of sockets. One is normal local(same like England) and another one the same type of American can use but always busy. So if you are from America like me, bring your own adapter to make your life easier. The meals are all included and surprisingly good and a lot better than I thought. Come early because almost the end everything almost gone. I guess they don’t wanna make more to waste the food for left over. Water is included and you get from the driver. We actually didn’t get the water until almost the end of the first day. We should have mentioned it earlier. I should minus one star for this but there are still plenty of good things.
After arriving first day, right away 1 game drive started around 4:30pm. The driver will take you out until almost dark. The second day will be all day long game drive which will be 2 separated with lunch break at Masai river. There will be a park ranger show you around no extra fee but you have to tip him. The second day is the highlight since it’s the longest drive. We saw lions and elephants on the first day and all big 5 on the second day! Yay! It was really really nice. Oh, there are actually bathrooms you can use during the day. 1 at Masai airport(yes! Airport in the middle of the park) and another one by the river but don’t expect much.
The drives are really adventurous and somehow relaxing also. We saw a lot of animals more than just big 5. I was really happy.
On the second day from the program, the drives supposed to finish around 4:30pm and then it’s your option to visit Masai Village $10 cash extra. Then there will be one more drive on the third day around 1 hour before leaving. However, my tour is different. We stay in the park longer until 6:30pm I believe. It was a long day drive from dawn till dusk so our driver suggested it was too late to see Masai Village already. How about we skip the game drive on the third day and visit the Masai Village instead. It will be on the house. Since we saw all the big 5. We’re ok with his offer. It was nice to always see something new. After that, we head back to Nairobi and everybody gets hotel drop off for free as well.
It was really really nice experience and very adventurous. If you’re type of easy person and travel on a budget, this is perfect for you. It’s safe for a solo woman. You don’t get out alone from the tour to do anything tho. Of course, you can’t expect luxurious accommodation and decent meal. You have to be prepared to get out of your comfort zone to eat and live easy because until now still I can’t think about taking any friend of mine. I’m pretty sure they will complain how difficult and inconvenient things will be. But put it on the bright side, you are in Kenya and you pay a lot less than the other so just live with it. My tent has some small amount of water flooded after the rain and my bathroom has a big hole on the wall covered with paper but I can still live with it. So like I said you have to be kind of easy and more on adventurous side. It’s not even a budget hotel but a camp! If you’re ok with it. Go ahead and book this tour rather than spending more even if I’m sure people who spend more will have decent experience as well but if you have limited budget, this is it to explore.
What make you take this tour and what different from others? I guess seriously every tour agency has almost the same schedule and accommodation. They even have walkie talkie while driving so every driver can communicate and get to drive to see animals quickly. So you pretty see almost the same scene with other tours within the same day but what make I go with Karibu and what make me really happy and satisfied and feel lucky I picked this one is their service and the driver. They reply email quickly. They’re very attentive. They have been in the business for long time so they know what to do. I asked them so many questions. I emailed them like I guess almost 10 times back and forth. Popping every new question everytime I’m curious because I have to compared with the other tour to make a decision. I even asked about the bus to go to Tanzania and they have this option available. They’re the second quickest to response tho but their price is cheaper than the first reply so I went for them. What really matters is the game drives which I know everybody hope for the highlight of the trip. Our driver is Raymond. He is really awesome. He is actually driver and guide. He doesn’t talk much like a tour guide style but he has skills. He will answer with helpful info if you ask but mostly he stay quiet but I kind of like that. It’s more peaceful and not annoying. What make the really big impression of him is his skills and knowledge of directions. There are so many times that we are the first car to see animals. He knows where they are. He really has good eyes. He said he’s been driving with Karibu for 7 years already if I remember right. We were so surprised when he found animals that very hidden in the wood. We’re like ‘omg, Raymond, how did you know!’. The other van just drove pass the same spot and didn’t notice. There was the route that Raymond took us and we were the only car there alone for the whole route. It was nice and relaxing. We found it very exclusive. Lol. He surely has skills for this business and that makes it different from the others. At the end of the second day everybody in my group was so happy. We stay silent and enjoy the drive and I just said, guys, I’m so happy I made a right decision and the rest of us felt the same way. Thank you Karibu for the memorable experience.
ES
Email Muna | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Good.
Sami, the car driver was really good . And Kioko the chief as well. The hotel was not so nice without hot water and only 2 hours of light a Day.
RU
Email Stani | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing safari
My guide-driver was John. We spent a good time and saw a lot of difference animals. I can say: I collected big five expect rhino :( and living in the great camp Lenchada. Also visit Masai village, that great experience.
AE
Email Ashraf | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic experience
I just came for this safari specially. The organization for my trip from airport to Massai Mara and back to airport was wonderful however time was at just to the limit.
The guide james. Was really experienced and expert. However this time is not the high season. But we almost saw all animals even those who don’t present in the high migration season.
Rhinos, lions, elephants, all birds, shetta, leopards, and others I don’t remember their names.
Highly recommended.
US
Email Tajiri Jerome Robinson | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The best safari experience of my life. I would recommend to anybody.
Honestly I can say is that the communication was excellent , the services were on a different scale the safari in it self is indescribable. Karibu safaris in Kenya thanks for experience. Hakuna matata.
Email Hans | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Really great service for the money you pay. Special thanks to our driver Jackson and also Dan
Great service at a great price! Jackson our driver made sure we saw everything. Also special thanks to Dan for showing me around Nairobi and making me feel comfortable.
Email Alina | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Super safari trip and a great team
It was amazing safari journey! We had Patrick as a guide and he is so wonderful teller with a great humor! It was clear that he's experienced cause we often were the first on the place with animals. The safari trip was really good organized and very nice! We've met the great 5 and so many others! Me and my husband really enjoyed it.
I would like to share 2 short stories that show this team.
First, Karibu Safaris company organized a birthday cake during our stay in Naivashi. It was so nice and warm evening, thank you guys! Cake was very tasty! And we didn't expect that it will be free for us, thanks!
And another one. When safari was ended Patrick and the company proposed us to leave our bags in the office cause we had a bus to Malindi at 8 p.m. After we took our luggage at the evening we suddenly met the company boss (so sorry that we don't know his name!); he recognized us and was very surprised that we didn't have any accompanying person with us to go to bus station. He said it's not saved for us and called and paid 2 guys from company. He was so kind I can't express my feelings about that situation! The way was really crowd, dark and dangerous. This man said that he feel responsibility about their client every time! Thanks a lot you, Karibu Safaris!!
I recommend this company as very good and kind team with excellent organized safari and Patrick as the best guide!
IR
Email S Soheil | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
As someone put it, "absolutely worth every penny" !! :d
We dropped them a line saying we want a Safari tour tomorrow, and tomorrow morning they picked us! :d That quick and convenient! ...
PK
Email Dr Zahoor Khan | under20 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Well managed pr ompt response to emails and quaries reasonablely priced well selected lodges
Thankyou for a well organized hassel free safari in Masai Mara V.Good driver guide in Mr.Haroon good selection of lodges will definatly return in future and recommend Karibu safaris to all