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
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.
US
Email Matt | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding Safari experience that exceeded all my expectations!
I was part of a group of eleven and Jocky Tours was nothing but extremely helpful, throughout the booking process and during the Safari. In particular we had lots of questions about Covid safety and testing before we left Kenya. We needn't have worried, Jocky Tours made sure we could enjoy the Safari and feel completely safe. They also arranged for testing towards the end of the 6 day safari so that we would have results prior to departing for the airport.
The safari itself was just epic. Our guides, Richard and James were extremely knowledgeable about every animal and plant we encountered. Not a single question went unanswered. Besides their extensive knowledge they were both extremely fun and engaging. All eleven of us on safari felt like we had made new friends in Richard and James.
The locations we toured were stunning and varied during the six days. Everything from the plains and savannah to lakes and a Masai village where we got to learn about the culture and traditions of the Masai people.
I can't rate this experience highly enough. Use Jocky Tours for your safari, you will thank yourself later. Brilliant, brilliant job, Jocky Tours, thank you!
Email Max | under20 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible experience run by a dedicated operator
The 4 day Masai Mara/Lake Nakuru and Naivasha is one of the best ‘bang for buck’ experiences I could have ever hoped for. Communication with the team was super easy if you give yourself enough time to buy a cheap sim card. Our tour guide, Charles, was always on time, full of information and help, and knew the ins and outs of the Mara which meant we saw the big 5 all in two days! There is no internet for the first two days of the trip which is fine as we bonded as a group and it was nice to get away from the phone. Travelling with Jockey Tours was super reliable thanks to our guide Charles and the team back in Nairobi. The tour of the Masai Mara, Nakuru and Naivasha was incredible, an experience that cannot be captured in words unless you see it for yourself.
Just good and professional
It was a very good deal.
One point..think about the Lodge you want to stay. They differ a lot. I choose Jambo and it was fantastic.
All the things went alongside the declared program.
I think toyota will be better than safari vans.
David ,our driver and guide was cute and kind. Try to find best places.
However, I got a little disappointed with Masai Mara itself, although it is beautiful and lots of animals; but don't expect the Big immigration as ones in documentary films!
After all , it was a good experience
Email Robert | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A first rate safari experience
We enjoyed a wonderful three day safari with Jocky Tours and our fantastic driver/guide Jeff.
What a memorable experience!
Jeff was absolutely focussed on giving all in the group a great safari by using his wide experience and knowledge.
We felt Safe with his driving across absolutely all sorts of terrain in his pursuit of giving us the best chances of experiencing a wide variety of wild animals across the park - and we did. We got to see all we had hoped for and much much more besides
The camp was very comfortable with beds, and hot water readily available, staff were friendly and attentive, food choice was limited but wholesome, and our packed lunch for our full day drive extensive!
Jeff, was the perfect guide and driver.
CN
Email Jess zhao | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Living in my best life
I had the most incredible safari experience thanks to our exceptional tour guide Johny. From the moment we set out on our adventure, it was clear that we were in the hands of a true expert.
Johny’s knowledge of the local wildlife and the natural habitats was astounding. He could spot even the most elusive creatures with ease, and his passion for conservation and wildlife preservation was truly inspiring.
Not only was our guide incredibly knowledgeable, but he also had a fantastic ability to share his insights in an engaging and entertaining way. He made the whole experience both educational and fun, ensuring that everyone in our group was captivated by the wonders of the animal kingdom.
Safety was a top priority for him, and he always made us feel secure during our encounters with wildlife. His experience and professionalism was evident in every aspect of the safari.
Moreover, Johny 's warm and welcoming personality added a personal touch to the journey. He was always ready to answer our questions and share stories about his experiences , making us feel like we were exploring this beautiful landscape with a friend.
In summary, our safari experience would not have been the same without our outstanding tour guide. His expertise, passion, and hospitality created a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that I will cherish forever. I cannot recommend him highly enough. Thank you for an unforgettable safari trip!
SE
Email Pernilla | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing! 10/10!!
We did a 4 day safari and couldn't ask for a better experience. We were lucky to have Johny as a guide who was incredible in all ways. He made sure everything went smoothly and went out of his way to make sure we got to see all the animals up close and always found the best angles for the pictures. Can really recommend going with Jocky tours and with Johny as your guide you will never regret it. It was truly an incredible experience.
JP
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Great safari at a low price
Thank you very much for the great safari!
I have 5 times experience of tour with Jockey tours, and every safari was fantastic!
The driver has great knowledge and experience, and he has the skill to stop a car at the right place to take a photo of animals!
The Lenchada camp is very clean and comfortable, and has security guards of masai people all day and night. It really reassured me. As the security is very important in Kenya, I recommend the safety campsite.
the tour cost was reasonable, you might want to compare the price with another companies.
CZ
Email Stan | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Unscrupulous behavior
If you want a preview of the contract, before paying the deposit, they will end all communication with you. That doesn't sound too serious. It seems more like they want to have you in their fist first and then you will have zero chance of negotiating any changes.
US
Email Eric | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Not sure what happened here
5 of us booked a 3 day tour through this company for a quick safari. I am not sure what happened but it was absolutely ridiculous from the start. We were scheduled to be picked up at 8 am from our Nairobi hotel, no one showed up after calling they first said that the driver had been there and left with no explanation as to why, then immediately turned around and said that the driver could not find the hotel. We were picked up in another vehicle at 9:30 and taken to meet our driver. As per our itinerary we were told there would be no more than 7 people in the van, there was 8 which was not a huge deal just another inconsistency. After the late start we then ran in to an accident on the way there was no water supplied in the van we sat for quite some time in the heat before starting off again, at that point we were to late to get lunch at our lodge and had to stop at a buffet on the side of the road. We ended up getting to the lodge at 4:30 which is past the time when our game drive was supposed to start. We sat there as our driver and the lodge staff argued for an hour because come to find out despite the fact that we had paid months in advance Jocky tours had never actually booked our rooms. Once we were finally checked in it was almost 6 oclock. We ended up getting about 30 min worth of a game drive that night. The next morning we did not get into the park until after 9 oclock due to the constant delays of the driver. Once in the park he failed to point out any wildlife and drove around like a crazy man only stopping if we made him at which point he would then take off as we were trying to get photos. We talked to him about it multiple times yet he persisted. He continually almost hit animals as they crossed paths and even sped up at them several times. It appeared the only time he was interested in stopping was to speak to his friends which were other drivers. While looking at a pride of sleeping lions him and his buddy driving the other van went within 10 ft of the lions and began revving their engines to make them get up. When we protested he laughed. After our complaints he became sullen and began not bothering to respond to requests at all. He supplied no water for the entire day that we were in the park and blamed it on the hotel despite it being in the itinerary that his company would supply it. These issues continued throughout the entire rest of the trip and made for a very akward and dangerous ride back to Nairobi with all of the vans occupants asking him multiple times to slow down and stop driving so dangerously. The drivers name was Dalton nickname Ali, in my opinion and the opinion of everyone I was with he should not be allowed within the park and definitely should not be trusted to drive people.
Reply from Jocky Tours and Safaris
Posted on Feb 15, 2017Thank you very much for the feedback, Reading through your review its clear that you did not like the services we provided to you and we highly apologize for that. We would like to clarify that all this inconveniences were largely because of the driver guide you had MR Dalton "ALI" who happens not to be our company driver guide, Your Kenyan link who helped in your reservation is the one who insisted on having 'ALI' as your driver guide and we had no choice but to oblige since you were 4 people booking together.
The driver guide Ali is Kisumu based driver and therefore not conversant with Nairobi city that's why he picked you late from the agreed time of 8am, You were supposed to be 7 in the van (4 of you + 3more) but while reserving you did not mention to us that you had a kid coming along thus making your number 5 plus the 3,if we knew in advance that you will be having a kid coming along we would have added 2 more instead of 3, however after learning from the driver that you turned up 5 instead of 4 as you had reserved we intervened and took out 1person making the number back to 7 as we had agreed, for the rest of the safari.
For the lodge,kindly note we had booked and made payments long time ago, its Ali's lack of clear expression that led to your delay check in and also partly your fault too because on reservation you failed to mention to us that you were 4 adults and 1 kid, we only knew of 4 adults and on arrival at sopa Lodge the lodge reception team were confused as we had made a reservation of 4 people only, and therefore they had to take time and consult us before allowing you in.
We highly regret and apologize on Ali's poor conduct both on driving, guiding, expression and attitude. We will for sure not use his services again, as much as it was Alis fault in all this and he is not our company guide we will take full responsibility and like to sincerely apologize.