JOCKY TOURS TEAM
Jocky Tours and Safaris
- Office In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2002)
- Member Of:
- AMREF & KWS
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $50 to $200 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
Email Anonym | under20 years of age | Experience level: first safari
He knows where and how to find the animals
In total it was really good. We see a lot, also the Big Five. But I was wondered and surprised what was not included, like the Boatstour or the Walk with the animals. I took again a look of the Safari-Description but I didn't find these advices.
And also to see the animals very close was really nice, sure. But I don't think that it is good for the animals. And to breake rules by leaving roads was terrible. There is a reason why this is not allowed.
At least thank you for the journey with you, Moses.
CH
Email Adrian | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Got quick replies. Could texted by WhatsApp. Guide was friendly. Office wasn‘t eas to find.
Paied USD 720.00 for 6 days (landcruiser) with the budget version. Visited Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Amboseli. Very long distances between. Also very bumpy roads. Guide (Jimmy) was friendly and helpful. But didn‘t introduce himself. Als didn‘t tell us about nice facts (countries, nationalparks,). Didn‘t ask about our wishes (animals) which we want to see. Because it was a budget trip we got simple lunch boxes. Accommodations were better than expected (AA lodget, hotel in lake nakuru and Maasai mara). It was sad that we didn‘t start in Amboseli very early with the game drive. We started at 8:30 (too late for seeing wild cats). Was sad that we didn‘t stay a long time at the place where the lions were. Saw 4 of 5 big fives. The driver/guide could be more interessted in us (aks questions of us). On the last day we finished 30 minutes earlier compared to another groupe. Afterwards we waited 30 minutes at the AA lodge in Amboseli there. I was happy that we could catch the train in Mombasa (3pm).
NL
Email Alex | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very good driver
Very good value for money. Saw the full big 5 in massai mara, with a very skilled driver. Camp side was very nice, with own bathroom.
Email Jazz | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Good price, bad safari.
If you can only afford a budget safari and just want good pictures of animals, then this one might be a good option. The cost includes all meals, park entrance fees, transport and everything was well organised. However, if you would like a good safari with nice animal encounters, then I'd recommend going with another operator.
We were driven around in the Masai Mara for 3 days by Isaac from Jocky Tours. Isaac had his radio on constantly, listening out for reports of sightings. As soon as a sighting was reported (which was pretty much constantly, the charm of the Mara!), he'd put the accelerator down and drive full pelt to the sighting location. You'd be thrashed around at the back of the vehicle. Isaac would go off road at every possible opportunity. The Mara is scarred with tyre tracks, even though guides are supposed to stick to the roads. Once we'd reached the animal, Isaac would do all he can to get in the path of the animal, and as close as possible. Sadly, most other cars had the same idea, making the animals very stressed as lots of cars (most of the time 15+ cars) fight to move within 2 metres of them. As the animals move, the cars move too, constantly creeping closer and interrupting their path. This meant that most of our animal encounters were actually just distressing, rather than enjoyable. This appears to be a problem with most drivers in the mara, not just Isaac, and needs to be sorted.
We asked Isaac if he could slow down, stop driving in the animals path and we said we did not want to go close to the animals and cause them stress. However, he didn't listen and continued to do as he liked.
There were a few nice moments with animals, where we asked Isaac to stop and turn the car off. But any peace was disrupted by the radio or him on the phone. He'd also decide quite quickly that he was bored and start the car and drive off, cutting our nice moments with animals short.
I left the Mara feeling quite sad, realising that the chaotic and cruel interactions between animals and the drivers that I'd experienced, most likely happen on a daily basis.
If you are looking for an enjoyable safari and a guide that actually cares about the wildlife, I would not recommend Jocky Tours. Despite the price tag for this Jocky tour trip being so appealing, I'd recommend finding another operator and being clear to them before booking about what type of safari you'd like to go on.
SK
Email Rich | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
good office interaction, driver not perfect
Minneh was great helping get this organized at the start and was quick to respond to our questions and queries, which was fantastic. But there were some mixups on what time we were supposed to be picked up at our hotel to start. Not a big deal, but we were told three different times and ended up ready at 7am while the driver said he was told to get us at 8am. A bigger deal was the 45min wait at the tax office coming home while our driver sorted out permitting issues on the way out. Other safari teams came through the tax checkpoint quickly, showed their receipts, and left -- less than 60 seconds -- while our paperwork wasn't quite right, and so we waited and waited and waited.
The animals of course were great, which is what you want to remember from the experience. And Keekorok lodge, while dated, was a great location and had super friendly staff.
I'd probably be okay using Jocky Tours again for the ease of payment and organizing, but just double and triple check how things are supposed to go on timing. And maybe avoid Leonard as a driver. We didn't get as a warm a fuzzy with him as we might have liked -- he'd clearly done this a lot before, but spent a lot more time on his phone while driving that we would have wanted.
ES
Email Marc | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Nice safari, old and broken vehicles and poor staff
Although Safari was amazing and we get to see all animals, there's a huge room to improve in staff/drivers and vehicles. Our vehicle was broken two times, we've change to another vehicle, and this was broken again. Drivers due not explain many things, and they drive looking all the time the mobile phone, so the trip was not safe. They don't provide you waters even it's included on the price, you have to request them all the time. On a stop to a restaurant, the driver and vehicle has disappear without saying nothing with all our bags, because they have to repair the vehicle, a bad experience. Price is good.
Reply from Jocky Tours and Safaris
Posted on Sep 7, 2016Hi Marc, Glad that you loved the safari part. We unfortunately regret and apologize for the vehicle breakdowns you had and unprofessional nature of our driver guide of the day. You traveled during peak time of the season and therefore there was a strain in resources, all our guides and vehicles were full booked and therefore we had to out source the guide you used on this particular day and leased his vehicle too. Sorry for the inconveniences caused to you.
CA
Email Rejeanne lacoste | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Better speak to your manager at the camp , she was not very happy to serve us , the food no good
We have nothing to say about our guide PITA , he was excellent , he try hard to find animals in the safari to show us, he explain everything , I recommandent him , his the best. But about the camp , the ladies there were not very at there place to received tourists, always said , wait a minute…no smile, they laughed together, they said that the power is on at 6 to 10 , but it was not that. And the food , so bad for the price Jocky Tours charge us. We have the same night meal , 2 times, the beef was too hard in our mouth, you have to review your meals and the staff at the camp. We were 2 couples and my friends had a frog in his bathroom and ants in his mattress…
US
Email Julie | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Possibly poor computer security
We contacted Jocky Tours for a quote. They responded and we started communicating with them through the email address on their website [email protected]. All communication was to / from this email. We sent payment as requested. When we got to Nairobi, they had no record of the emails or the payment. We suspect their email was hacked and our communications were being directed to a fraudulent third party. We have opened a fraud investigation on our side but caution anyone to be careful doing business with them.
US
Email Ronald | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Over promised, and under delivered.
The guide Joseph was fine. He was accommodating and knowledgeable.
The accommodation at Lenchada Tourist Camp was super sub-standard.
1. I was in a single tent that looked nothing like what was presented on the website. The bathroom looked like a prison bathroom; it was unclean with plenty of cracked tiles and mold.
2. There was no Wi-Fi, even though the website promised Wi-Fi. When I inquired about the service, I was told, "It's broken".
3. The food service was chicken; chicken and more Fing chicken cooked the same exact way every dinner. And it was not high-quality food. It was a buffet designed to spend the least among of money. They frequently run out of food.
4. The security was below standard. My tent zipper kept malfunctioning and would not close properly. A baboon was able to entire my tent and steal my backpack while I was on safari. Although the backpack was recovered, my clothes were spread on wet ground, plus my laptop and camera were damaged.
5. Luke warm water that you had to request be turned on.
6. Limited electricity (6:30 pm - 10:00pm and 5:30 am-7:00 am). Again, this was not disclosed in the advertisement.
7. Dirty carpet and plenty of insects.
8. A mosquito net with holes.
Not worth the $340 cash (they insisted on cash for a good reason, I would contest the charge on my card if they accepted credit or debit) I paid for three days. In short, the trip was over advertised and under provided.
RU
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Overrated. Had no luck with a guide driver.
So the main complaint is about information. It seems that our guide driver Matu was a lier! Or a joker, but it was not good that information about animals he gave us and other guides gave was very different. As not an local we cannot prove anything so it was kind of unfair. Also, he was late every day. Talked a lot with somebody on the phone and with other drivers. It was very uncomfortable to travel with him. He never commented his actions. We were driving about 3 hours under the hot sun with no words where are we go and what a going to do. And he had very bad accent. He always said "glass" instead of "grass" and other words.
Also it is a complaint about hot drinks. It was highlighted in the contract that drinks like sodas and beers are not included. But they didn't say a word that hot drinks are not included into lunches and you should buy it!
But they gave us a better price for that time. But at the same time the hotels and camps they are providing are so poor and incomfortable. Other proc is that they didn't want a prepayment (you know that e-payment systems are not brillliant in Africa) and the water was included in price.
I want to say a big thanks for Vinsent.
Reply from Jocky Tours and Safaris
Posted on Mar 13, 2015Thank you Faridah for your honest feedback about your safari Experience with us.We have made follow up with our guide Matu and found out that he indeed acted very unprofessional.All the drinks were included and you were not supposed to buy any drink by yourself,Matu says he didn't read the program well,which is nonprofessional. About "glass" and "grass" its his local/native language accent influence which we regret and apologize.We also apologize for learning that the hotels and camps we recommended you to didn't meet your expectations,though its because of the budget you wanted.
Thank you again for your honest feedback that will help us better/upgrade our service,We have suspended Matu for being unprofessional and sincerely apologize for any inconveniences caused to you.
We would like to invite you or your friends back to experience better service.Again Thank you Faridah