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
US
Email Anonymous | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent budget safari, knowing before going is important
Overview:
Karibu Safari is well reviewed by many people. Competitive price for 5-day budget safari. Had a great overall experience. 5-day safari was good but could be condensed into 4-day safari (see below under "Cons"). Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, and Hell's Gate were all worth going to. If we could have done only one, we'd do Hell's Gate since you can rent a bike and bicycle next to the animals and then hike in slot canyons (see below in "Details"). Unique and very nice after so much driving. Lake Nakuru is similar to Maasai Mara in that you game driver looking for animals. Lake Naivasha you see hippos and water birds. Robert (trip coordinator) was prompt in his responses. Peter (driver) was great at finding and pointing out animals. He really cared about providing the best and most well-rounded safari experience. Note: It appeared the budget safaris were more aggressive at finding animals then the more luxury safaris.
Pros:
- We got what we paid for. We had to have our driver call our trip advisor to send him more money to buy more water since we ran out by day 5.
- Accommodations were fine with running water and electricity. The "tents" are large canvas tents with a ceiling over them and not like backpacking tents.
- Meals were fine for budget safari.
- Peter (driver) was excellent at finding and viewing animals. He provided enough time to view and take pictures, not rushing us. He really emphasized the safari experience. He was a safe driver amidst the more crazy drivers and matatu's.
- The season was excellent which was mid- to late-November. Not crowded. Although this was claimed as the rainy season, it did not rain on safari, but only when driving and near Lake Naivasha and Nairobi. Also, all the animals just had babies so we got to see baby animals of almost all animals seen!
Cons:
- The itinerary should include estimated drive times.
- The itinerary should include more details. For example, on our 4th day, we were dropped off at a hotel after our game drive at Lake Nakuru en route to Lake Naivasha. We spent the whole afternoon there (from ~12noon and on). We were disappointed because we didn't fly half way across the world to sit in a garden. It would be nice to have known this. This is where the trip could be condensed to 4-days instead of 5-days.
- Peter could have provided more information to us. When we began we didn't know exactly where we were headed, how long it would take, etc. It would have been nice to review the day's events with us each morning.
- Peter could have offered us more information on the animals, landscape, plants, etc. He did if you asked, but it would be nice for him to just tell us.
Good to know:
- All 5-day safaris are pretty much identical in what they offer and pay for. So email to find best price when you go.
- There is a lot of (bumpy) driving. Not all in our van was prepared for this.
- You may get shuffled around since they mix people with different safari lengths. We started with a van that included people who booked 5-day, 4-day, and 3-day safaris.
- You may not get a window seat (right next to window). This was not a big issue though. They pop the van top and you can stand during the safari. But if this is a concern, have the van agree to rotate seats throughout the safari.
- The meals are pretty much the same for lunch and dinner, local food (rice, lentils, veggies, usually meat, etc.). So if you don't like the food, you will need to bring your own or purchase.
- The driver is contracted by the safari company. This is important should issues arise based on itinerary or pricing of certain things.
- There can be lots of traffic leaving and coming back from Nairobi, so plan for this when booking other trips or flights.
- Sunday has less traffic so leaving on this day was great.
- We tipped the driver ~$20 USD per day for the whole vehicle. So with 7-8 people in the van, this was ~$2-3 USD per day per person. Other than that we did not tip anyone else. (Our native Kenyan hosts said that tipping is not expected most places and even if it is, it is not as much as the USA.)
Details:
- Maasai Mara Village Tour: This may or may not have been worth the $10 USD. This is quite touristy. You can get some good pictures and see them dance and sing. But you need to ask them to show you everything. For example, we asked to taste the Maasai beer as our driver said we would. If we didn't ask, they wouldn't have done this. We also asked to see the school. If we hadn't asked, they would not have done this. When they take you into the traditional home, they will try and sell you stuff then and afterward. The Maasai markets in Nairobi have more selection and you can bargain more.
- Boat Ride at Lake Naivasha: This is expensive at $20 USD per person but we thought this was more worth it than the Maasai village tour. You see hippos and many birds and it was fun to be in a boat. You can get great pictures of the African fish eagle diving for fish that the boat driver throws in to the water.
- Hell's Gate bike and hike: The bike rental was $5 USD. You don''t need a guide for this. You stay on the main road to get to the gorge. Go in the early morning to see more animals. When we rode back, there were hardly any animals. At the gorge, more people will offer to guide you. We did not take a guide, but a Maasai man ended up going with us anyway. It ended up being a necessity as the trail is not well marked. Our group of 4 tipped him 700 Kenyan shillings and shared some nuts and instant coffee.
US
Email Jared | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Budget doesn't mean bad quality! We had an amazing time, but be prepared to sit in a car for a long
I will separate the reviews in two since Karibu is just a booking service and doesn't actually operate the tours themselves. For Karibu, Robert was always responsive to my emails, however seemed to answer my questions with minimal effort and detail so that was a bit disappointing but went with them anyways since they have good reviews. The airport pickup they provided went smoothly and the payment in the office as well.
For the tour itself, we did the 6 day Masai Mara, Nakuru and Amboseli safari and had an amazing time thanks to our driver Gibson and the other 6 people in our van. The tour itself beat my expectations due to our driver and that the overall quality was better than I expected. We were worried 6 days might be a bit too long at first, but each park was so different that it was perfect. My only warning to people is that you should be prepared to spend A TON of time in the car (10-12 hours per day i'd say). If you don't like long car rides, or uncomfortable bumpy roads for hours on end, then this tour is not for you. But your only alternative is flying between places and that gets expensive, so no budget tour is for you in that case.
Driving - Our driver Gibson was very knowledgable, funny and an excellent driver. Usually on the game drives we were one of the first vans to discover an animal before the rest flocked over. We saw the big 5 and more, Gibson made sure to give us the best experience and he clearly knew his way around each park. The van was comfortable enough and we all had a proper viewing spot with the pop up top. As reiterated before, we were surprised at how much time is spent in the car and also how terrible the roads are...so just something to keep in mind, but nothing the company did wrong here.
Accommodations - This was originally what I was most worried about doing a budget tour, but actually ended up being totally fine. The first camp in Masai Mara there was no hot water and the electricity was quite hit and miss. The hotel in Nakuru was a nice step up from the camps, and the final camp in Amboseli was actually quite nice even if basic.
Food - Also a major worry of mine before, but was a big surprise that it was actually quite decent. We are vegetarians and had a good selection of things to eat and they fed us plenty every day. Also everyone is given 1 liter of water per day which was nice, with the option to buy more.
Optional tours - We did the morning nature walk with the Masai guides in Amboseli and the boat ride in Lake Nakuru which I would definitely recommend both! I can't comment much on the Masai village tour since we didn't do it, but as far as I heard they just try to sell you all their arts and crafts aggressively which we hate those type of tourist trap things.
Overall, i'd totally recommend this tour to anyone who is looking to do an affordable safari trip...we feel like we got our money's worth and more. This tour is not for anyone expecting comfort and luxury, but if your goal is just to see some amazing animals at an affordable price then don't hesitate and do the tour!
Email Hannah | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Kenyan hospitality
The good
Our guide Robert was very kind and wanted us to have a good time. We saw all of the big 5 except leopards but saw LOTS of other animals and got some amazing pictures. Robert seemed a great tracker always listening to the radio to find out where to find the best animals. For some reason we got given a Jeep when we were expecting a mini van which was much better for Masai Mara. Communication with the company was good. All plans were executed smoothly. They even helped us to book train tickets for our onward journey as we didn't have an Mpesa account. All the camps and meals were very clean and we'll located. Meals were buffet style and very nice and plentiful.
On the last part of our safari we had a new guide Kevin who was also very nice and organized.
The bad
Even though it says a maximum of 6 guests in the vehicle we had 8 guests + the guide. This meant that there wasn't enough room for everyone + their luggage so we ended up leaving over an hour late because the guide was trying to shove it all in, and we ended up boxed in with luggage in the aisle of the vehicle. When we asked the guide about the 6 maximum rule he said "But this is good for me." We then got pulled over by the police on the way to masai mara because our TLB (tax) was out of date which delayed us for another couple of hours. To be fair to Robert he was very apologetic and dealt with the situation as best he could and made up the time on the safari the next day so we didn't really miss out, it was just frustrating.
Overall
I would recommend booking Karibu for a safari, but I'd check the itinerary on their own website before you do, as it doesn't seem to match what is written on 3rd party websites.
US
Email Chris | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great time!
I went on a 7 day safari through several parks. It was great! The time in Masai Mara and Amboselli was incredible! The other parks were good but no where near as good. In retrospect I would have gone to Masai Mara and Amboselli if possible.
We had 2 guides: Raymond and Daniel. Both were great. Very accommodating and kind to be around. The roads in Kenya are a little scary in general, but I felt safe with both these drivers.
US
Email Jimmy | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Efficient
Pros: Overall great experience. Saw all the animals on the bucket list. Our guide was great about following any leads from other drivers to make sure we saw the big 5 and more. He was responsive to when we wanted to stop and was genuinely friendly and kind.
Cons: You are on a trip with multiple people on different itineraries, so there is some extra travel between safaris and differing accommodations, which takes up some extra travel time. Also because of this, there is some group decisions that need to be made that may compromise what you want to do. We were also never offered the boat trip the at was supposedly available on my itinerary because others had it scheduled on a different day, which was frustrating. Additionally, this trip is in a van vs jeep/Range Rover so there are limits as to speed and locations where you can drive. It did not seem to affect the total animals we saw but luck may have been on our side.
Overall the trip was awesome, but if you want full control of your itinerary, there may be better options.
NL
Email Stan | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great and Affordable Safari Tour Operator!
What a great company! I walked into the office to see what they had on offer - the next morning I was on my way joining a 5-day budget Safari to Masai Mara, Nakuru, Naivasha, and Hells Gate led by our amazing guide Dan Castro. His talent and experience really showed as he made sure the whole trip went smoothly - and more importantly that we spotted a wide-range of different animals (incl. The Big Five and the wildebeest migration). Dan really went out of his way to make sure we had a front-row seat to the spectacle of Kenyan safari. To give an example: we had a rare sighting of a leopard, saw two lions successfully hunt a zebra and spotted a lion high up in a tree. I feel very lucky and privileged to have seen such sights.
Dan's ability to drive in difficult circumstance also really stood out during the trip as the park provide some challenging terrain. I personally also very much appreciated the music he would play (Dan has excellent taste) during long hauls between different national parks.
Karibu safaris was also really flexible when I wanted to make a change to my booking. I initially booked a 6-day safari, but asked to switch to 5-days during the safari in order to stay with the group (as the others were staying for only 5-days). Dan contacted the office in Nairobi and ensured this was no problem.
Do make sure to bring enough extra cash during the safari, because there are some hidden costs, such as bike rentals, Masai village entry and of course lots and lots of tipping.
Email Florent and Christine | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amboseli Safari
From the point of our first communication with Robert the trip advisor to the moment we made the Safari, everything was flawless. Robert was very professional and he provided us with the best service. He customized our safari to what we wanted and we got the exact bargain. After our experience with Karibu, we are of the opinion that all of our safaris in future will be handled by them. And we highly recommend them as well.
Top notch service.
NP
Email Pooja | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A good budget safari for a good time
As a solo traveler, finding a safari that not only fits my dates but also budget was important. I was picked up on time and our tour guide, Edward was really great. Though it rained almost the whole time, which was unusual for January end, it was one of the most fun times of my life. I met new people during the safari. The tent/rooms were good at Enchoro wildlife Camp. The visit to Masai village was awesome. For the first time in my life, I saw lions, giraffes and zebras. We also saw ostrich, different kinds of deer, wild hogs, buffaloes, baboons, elephants. I felt like I was watching all the characters from the "Lion King" movie. Because of the rain, our vehicle did get stuck at a couple of different places, but there were fellow vehicle drivers who also helped us. Edward is also really helpful towards others as well. The food was basic which is good. The staffs at the camp were also really helpful. Overall, I am really happy.
IT
Email Luca | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Black Rhino
We are with the Legend of the driver, James. In Masai Mara helped is to see ten lions, four cheetas and one Leopard. In Nakuru We see the white Rhino. We haven’t see only the Legendary black Rhino.
Thx you James, arrivederci
FR
Email Benjamin | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great safari experience but don’t underestimate the budget level of the accommodation/transport
We did the 6-Day Magnificent Best of Kenya Safari with Karibu, visiting the Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Amboseli.
Communication was good - office was reactive responding to emails. On the first day they picked us up from the hotel, drove us to an ATM then we handed over the cash in the car outside the office. We were not invited inside and there is apparently no toilet available for use.
Our driver Edward was friendly, deeply knowledgeable on the wildlife and highly experienced with navigating the parks, showing us a fantastic variety of animals. He worked tirelessly over the 6 days. Only suggestion for improvement would be to offer more frequent toilet breaks. Indeed Edward would stop briefly for a roadside wee whereas our toilet breaks were less frequent and fixed at souvenir gift shops!
It was frustrating that Karibu mixed people on different tours, staying in different standards of accommodation meaning we wasted a lot of time doing detours and waiting around for people. On two game drives they crammed 7 people into the van, which made the experience much less enjoyable. The 12+ hour day travelling from Lake Nakuru to Amboseli (with a stop on the outskirts of Nairobi to pick up more people) was brutal especially as the accommodation awaiting us at Amboseli was the lowest standard of the three.
The meals were generally of a decent standard but lacking somewhat in variety. Limited selection of alcoholic drinks were available for purchase. At each accommodation there were inflated prices for bottled water so it is advised to make the most of the bottles provided by the driver. Breakfast was always rushed (30 minutes between breakfast being served and departure with all luggage).
Enchoro Wildlife Camp Masai Mara – Nice camp with spacious tents. Electricity run off generator limited to fixed times in morning and evening. Beer available but not chilled.
Hotel Citymax – Budget hotel with nice evening meal. No alcoholic drinks for purchase but option to source your own beer in the town and drink in the hotel. Roof terrace available.
Kimana Amboseli Camp – Tatty and rundown camp. Small tents. Holes in mosquito nets. Decent food and cold beer available.
Optional activities were nice to pass the time:
- Masai Mara Village Visit - $10 USD
- Lake Naivasha Boat Trip - $20 USD
- Amboseli Sunrise/Sunset Nature Walk - $10 USD