Esther Ndegwa - Travel Consultant
Kenya Budget Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2005)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $120 to $400 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
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Email Alexander Ramsey | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Experience for Travelers on a Budget
I went on a 5 day safari with two of my friends to the Maasai Mara, Naivasha, Lake Nakuru and Hells Gate on a $600 budget using Kenya Budget Safaris (KBS) and I can't imagine it getting any easier. Being that it was our first time going to Africa we really did not know what to expect. From the beginning the safari operators were prompt and courteous with their service. I scheduled the safari through Esther who was very nice and spoke excellent English. Through a couples emails we were scheduled to be picked up from the airport and start our safari the day we arrived. After paying at their office in Nairobi, the entire trip was smooth sailing.
Our guide, Patrick (Papa Kilo), was an excellent tour guide, safe driver, fluent English speaker and really knowledgable of the areas we visited. In the game reserve he knew exactly where to go and how to set up our vehicle for the best possible viewing angles of animals. He was patient and did not rush us when we wanted to see a particular animal for longer. On the safari we saw zebra, giraffe, baboon, wildebeest, warthog, lions in a tree and a cheetah take down a gazelle. It was an experience of a lifetime!
In the Maasai Mara we stayed in a permanent tent with a toilet, shower (hot water did not work) and built in mosquito nets. Not the most comfortable bed, but the experience of sleeping in a tent in the Maasai Mara was worth it. The remainder of the safari we stayed in hotels which were much nicer and had WIFI. everywhere we went there were guards and people were helpful and nice.
We asked for traditional African food on the safari and enjoyed it a lot. Everything was included. The only thing that was not included on our safari was the bike ride through Hells Gate, which I highly recommend! Overall, Kenya Budget Safaris was an excellent budget option that I definitely recommend and would do again.
KR
Email KYUMDUK PARK | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
People are so kind. I've spent such a great time in Kenya.
People are so kind. I've spent such a great time in Kenya.
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Email Brian | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a Lifetime with Kenya Budget Safaries
My buddies and I had an amazing trip with Kenya Budget Safaris. I see no reason not to book with them. The guide was great! Spoke good English, was very knowledgeable, and did his best to answer our million and one questions. The accommodations and restaurants they had set up for us were great. I would not trade the experience for anything.
Email Stephen Gormley | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Solo Irish Man into Africa...
The safari was booked last minute and I mean last minute, I arranged with Budget Safari tour rep at 8:30 am and jumped on the safari vehicle at 8:45am and off we went!
I didn't know what to expect at all.It was the most amazing trip I've been on so far.
The driver John was an absolute gentleman and should be given an award for the driving and his vast knowledge of the animals and the vegetation in the Masai Marra.
The people on the tour couldn't off been more friendly, a pleasure.
I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Budget Safari's to anyone at all.
Quote of the trip "Africa wins again"
Stephen
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Email Fernando and Katia | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unforgettable Experience
Our first impression of booking with Budget Safari was one of ease. We looked at various competing safari services, email a few and got back responses between 1-10 days. Budget Safaris was almost immediate and with the perfect customer service you expect when you are about to spend a decent amount of money on vacation. Esther personally handled all the communication and asked questions regarding our expectation of how we wanted to experience the safari. We shared with her the options we considered, 1) group safari 2) Semi Private and 3) Private Safari. We also were looking at 7-8 full days in the bush, and most other companies that we entertained only had fix dates of scheduled departures. After a series of emails, we agreed on our experience, Private Safari for two, detailed itinerary with names of the lodges we would stay and cost.
Upon our arrival into Kenya, Henry our driver, met us at the terminal in our safari vehicle, preceded to meet Esther, and we headed out to our first lodge. Upon meeting Esther, she suggested a couple last minute deals and upgrades to our lodges based on availability, which given the extra cost of 200 dollars, we considered it a bargain for the entirety of our stay in Kenya.
In terms of our Driver Henry, there are not enough nice words to describe the added experience his conversations gave our Safari. He shared his experiences regarding the Safari, Animal Behavior, Photography, Culture, Masai Tribes, etc… each hour we had was an experience in itself. During our game drives, he accommodated our schedule to depart a little earlier or a bit later depending on weather, our scheduled meals and animal sightings in the area. I would recommend him and would gladly repeat the experience with him.
The lodges were first class, as mentioned above, we did a small upgrade and got better amenities, great lodges, and all you can eat buffets that are shy of a nice restaurant in any big US city, Lots of variety, including local food, Indian, Chinese and American.
Overall, I would rate this and 11 out of 10 if I could. Esther and her team made this an unforgettable experience for my wife and I.
Thanks again.
DE
Email Caspar | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
I was all happy
Before getting Africa I did some research here. This operator had a package according to my requirements and comparable to many other tour companies. But they had a tour planed that suited my dates and for some reason, they were significantly more affordable than others.
After the down payment, I had good email contact until the day I got to arusha. They picked me up, gave me a briefing and I paid the final share.
The safari was exactly as advertised, even though the group was super small they sticker to the exact Programm. The equipment and vehicle where all fine, and the guide was friendly and knowledgeable.
I ended up all happy with the operator and would recommend them.
CA
Email Jeremy | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great Value!! Great Experience!
My wife and I spent the last 15 months travelling the planet and we were fortunate enough to spend some of that time in Kenya. One of our big ticket items was to experience a Safari in the Maasai Mara. After a few days of research... we were lucky to come across Kenya Budget Safaris. The main factor of us choosing them was first the price... the quote we received was better than any other place we checked. Then the quick and detailed responses we received from Esther gave us reassurance that we were dealing with a legit and professional company.
The safari itself was something we will never forget. The camp we stayed at for the first two nights was great. Basic tent with a bed inside it really gives you the feel that you're out on safari. The food they served was really good. But obviously the best part is being out in the park. We were paired with the best guide who really knew the area... Papa Kilo... he had been driving for close to 20 years. Very knowledgeable. Any question we asked he had the answer.
Anyways stop looking around. If you're looking for a Budget Safari.. this is the one. If you want some pics visit our facebook page... Grounded Wanderlust.. for proof of the amazing experience we had.
ES
Email Yasmina | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Lifetime Experience! Great Value! 100% Recommendable
We had a great experience with Kenya Budget Safaris!! and we would recommend them a million times!
After some research and looking for affordable Safari companies (which is not so easy) we were so lucky to come across Kenya Budget Safaris.
They are very fair priced especially for people with a lower budget like us, the quote we received was the lowest especially as we did the 8 day tour (Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru & Amboseli) and any other company was totally unaffordable for us.
Esther was very kind and attentive, and super responsive to all our questions and emails we were even able to change the safari dates almost last minute as our plans changed unexpectadly.
During the Safari our driver Patrick was great and very knowledgable, we saw every single animal we expected and more and thanks to the 8 day tour in different parks we saw many different sceneries. Masai Mara was great for all the wildlife, Lake Nakuru for the Rhinos and Amboseli for the great mount Kilimanjaro backgrounds!!
The accomodation and food was great for the price! I wouldn't trade any of the experience and if we ever come back to that part of the world again we would repeat with them for sure!
A Once in a lifetime experience that everyone should do, and with Kenya Budget Safaris it is accesible for everyone!
CA
Email Kristi McDonald | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Affordable, organized and ALL the animals we hoped to see!
Kenya Budget Safaris provided a wide range of safari options at very reasonable rates. Our contact with KBS was a delightful woman named Esther, and her immediate kind responses to our numerous questions made us realize that we were in good hands for this big adventure. My husband and I were able to make changes to our departure date without a problem. Esther helped us find reasonable Nairobi accomodations and arranged transportation before & after our safari. She went above & beyond by securing SGR train tickets for us, and helping out with some hotel payment issues. We cannot say enough about how smoothly our safari experience ran due to Esther's expert guidance.
The safari accomodations & ample food were more than adequate. The game drives were the thrill of a lifetime. We saw the Big 5 in the wild....and so much more. All the parks we toured were fabulous, but our handsdown favourite was Maasai Mara. We also really enjoyed the optional Maasai Mara Village visit, and the Hell's Gate Gorge hike.
Be aware that the multiday safari groups are fluid....there may be some changing of your safari companions depending on length of each person's tour. This resulted in some time needed to meet up and collect or drop off participants. There was a fair amount of driving involved in getting to these meetings and the various parks. However, it did allow us to meet many interesting people and we did enjoy the experience. We would highly recommend Kenya Budget Safari!