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
IN
Email Surbhi Sud | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unprofessional and unreliable
I don't know if the 2000+ positive reviews for Karibu we saw on safaribookings.com were fake or were they just related to mt Kenya climbing. I wouldn't recommend our 7 day safari experience to anyone.
When I was booking the safari, I was a bit hesitant since their package is cheaper than most other operators and therefore I was expecting barebone properties and campsites. Surprisingly, the accommodations were mostly decent and the cost cutting was done at the expense of the safari experience which was really unfortunate.
Robert was quite good with communications before the safari started, afterwards he stopped responding to messages or calls. So no matter what the issue is, if the safari is not happening as per the itinerary, or if the hotel is different than what was specified as part of the quotation, or there's some other issue, don't expect Robert to be available. Instead you are stuck with Edward, the guide + driver who was a moody individual with moments of courteousness sandwiched between rude and abrasive behaviour.
The itinerary promised 1 full day safari and 2 half day safaris at Masai Mara. On the first day of the trip, we reached Masai mara campsite and faced 2 separate issues - first that the evening safari is not going to happen and that the campsite was different (+inferior) than what was promised (I had confirmed the names of the properties that very morning at their office in Nairobi and still they preferred to not disclose the truth). We let go of the campsite issue and focused on the promised evening game drive. Robert obviously did not answer my calls and Edward in a passive aggressive manner threatened to organize a half-assed safari the next day if I continued to find discrepancies in the written itinerary and what was happening in reality. When I pressed further he called Robert, who answered his call(!) and said that the itinerary that I booked does not exist anymore (they took the webpage down from Safari Bookings that very instant)....luckily I had taken screenshots of the itinerary to share with my mates so they had to oblige. But not really in a way that counts. We did do one full day game drive as promised + 1 evening drive near the entry gate that was around 30 minutes + on the 3rd morning of the trip, we drove in from one gate and exited from another gate, a 40 minute ride that doesn't really count as a half day game drive. During the game drives, Edward mostly drove around quietly, sharing very little insight into the national parks or wildlife. If you pointed towards any animal and asked he would accurately name it. Compared to other game drive experiences that I've had, Edward was more like a driver than a safari guide. To be fair though, Karibu arranged a very comfortable 4x4 Land cruiser for us and Edward was a highly skilled driver (the 5 of us slept through bad roads and highways alike).
On the third morning of the trip, we reached the vehicle before our driver and since he was still having breakfast, I started loading everybody's rucksacks in the back of the vehicle. I was half way done when Edward showed up. He looked at me for a minute as a I stood there waiting for him to take over. Instead he told me to hurry and finish the job. I dont mind putting my bags in the car and dont really expect anyone to do it for me but I didn't see any reason why I should load rucksacks of the other group members. I dont see the point in treating your clients like that either, maybe he just got a kick out of it.
The quotation included drinking water but in reality that meant only 5.5 litres per person through 7 days so keep that in mind when choosing your operator.
Regardless of whether you go with Karibu or someone else, if you're keen on making the most out of your itinerary, I would recommend the following -
1. Start with Amboseli or Nakuru instead of Masai Mara
2. Skip Hells Gate if you are short on time. If you're going there for the lava wall, that section is inaccessible to tourists now.
3. Skip Naivasha unless you are into birdwatching. And if you are, spend some time near the lake and find a legit boat tour. The current version of the boat ride is a tourist trap where you'll see 1-2 hippos in the water (that was pretty cool) otherwise it'll be an hour long uneventful boat ride with 3-4 bird sightings that are anyway commonly seen in other parks. Not really worth $30 (additional 30$ to step foot on the island)
4. One full day safari in Amboseli is probably going to be enough. Half day in Nakuru is sufficient. Try to spend some extra time and money for Masai Mara. On day one, let the guide hurriedly take you across the park to tick off all the major sightings. On day 2, you go with a plan to focus on only the things that you missed out on day 1. Finish the itinerary with 2 days in Masai Mara so that you end on a high note.
Property Review -
1. Mara Enkajiang - Clean tents but dirty toilets. Bad food. This was given to us instead of Enchoro Wildlife Camp (highly reviewed). If any tent turned on their bathing shower the whole row of tents would lose electricity till a staff member repaired the fuse. This happened 5+ times in one night.
2. Lanet Matfam - Resort property with a nice swimming pool. Best food but very small and weirdly constructed rooms.
3. Leisure Apex - Overall best - new property, clean rooms, good food, no nonsense motel.
4. Nyati Safari Camp - Clean and spacious tents, well maintained, good food. This was given to us instead of Manjaro Campsite but we were happy either way.
Email Martin & Nicola | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Edward is possibly the best Safari guide/driver you could get. This gentleman is the Lion king
Communication was beyond expected, Edwards time keeping was flawless. Edward went above and beyond what was expected and made sure all our questions were answered.
We saw everything we wanted including things we didn’t expect >> A cheetah chase WOW 🐆 >>> hyenas defeating lions 🦁 I could go on and on.
None of the above would have been possible without Edward and his passion and knowledge for the wildlife, I wish him and his family all the best of health and wealth.
If you are looking to book a safari just do it and ask for Edward he will look after you and make you feel safe.
Email Hossein | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Overall very good experience
Really great value for your money, we did 8 days safari with my gf, really enjoyed it,
The company has planned the whole 8 days for us, the only thing you need to pay in 8 days is your drinks ( they give one bottle per day which is not enough, I didn't even expect it) everything else is included ( food , accommodation, driver with vehicle, park entry fees) I think it's absolutely worth it,
I recommend to the 8 days as you can really have a good experience of Kenya and it's national parks, what's the point of going all the way to Africa and not spend enough time on the experience,
In some of the accommodations you get a cold shower, the food is enough and basic but I recommend to buy some snacks from supermarkets as well to have some snacks.
You will see a lot of people trying to sell just politely decline , believe me they are everywhere so be prepared.
Overall go for it , it's a unique experience that you will never forget.
NL
Email Pepijn | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The trip was perfectly organised.
We had a great time climbing the Mount Kenya with our guide Kelvin. Besides that we had a great chef with us on the whole trip.
US
Email YaBoiFREEZ | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
One for the record books
Saw almost everything I wanted to see. The tour guide made sure to point animals and birds I missed on my own. It was amazing. Made me feel closer to Yah. Definitely doing another safari if I ever get the chance, but at least for now, I get to check it off my bucket list.
IT
Email Francesca | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing safari
The tour satisfied us completely and respected the planned program. The communication between us and the guide, Steven, was excellent and he proved to be very reliable, kind and punctual. He always tried to make us see as many animals as possible and not let us get bored by always proposing valid activities. Very good value for money.
IT
Email Fabio | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience! 4 day safari - Maasai Mara/Lake Nukuru
An amazing experience our safari of 4 days: Maasai Mara/Lake Nukuru organized by Karibu Safaris.
Our tour guide Joseph was polite, a really good driver, and an expert, he found a lot of animals before the others jeep.
We booked a budget safari but our camp in Maasai Mara was nice, and also the food was good.
The airways company gave us an early flight (3 hours before) and Karibu Safari handled the problem well, still managing to get us to Nairobi airport in time for our flight.
Thanks! Asante sana
Great safari with experienced driver!
Very well organized safari, the accommodation was very comfy (though a little bit noisy) and the driver was very professional, always managing to find the best animals.
The food was standard, but it's expected knowing the tour price.
Careful: the 3 days 2 nights tour is only for 12 hours in the park maximum.
Email Fin | under20 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible, made everything very straightforward and easy
The trip as a whole was amazing and I enjoyed it so much. We hiked the Sirimon (might have spelt that wrong) route up and from someone who has very little hiking experience, there are times where it is pretty tough, but definitely manageable. What made the trip as enjoyable as it was was definitely our guide, Jimmy and his team. Jimmy was our guide throughout the trip, whenever we were hiking we were with him whereas the rest of the team would march ahead to our next campsite to set up our tent and start making our food which made the trip very simple and straightforward. They were all lovely people and Jimmy, who we spent most of our time with, was so down to earth and easy to chat to while walking. The food was delicious and we were very well fed throughout. The hiking itself, as mentioned, was tough at times but doable. We were able to walk at our own pace throughout and to take short breaks of we got tired which made the total of around 50km of hiking more than enjoyable. Although it’s not the highest mountain in the world it still feels epic to reach the top. Would 100% recommend to anyone who is interested or is spending time in Kenya. Would definitely rate it 10/10.
Email Lucy | under20 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The most incredible team, so supportive, kind and helpful it really made our trip amazing
We did the four day mount Kenya hike, with Jimmy our guide and his team! I cannot put into words how amazing it all was, so tough at times but incredible experience. We saw beautiful views and ate delicious food along the way! The whole trip was very straightforward in regards to getting to the mountain and hiring boots etc which made it super easy for us! I would 100% recommend using karibu safaris for this trip as the staff were brilliant! This is definitely the best value for money trip I have been on!