Guide Ken with one of our 4x4 Land Cruisers
Spirit of Kenya
- Office In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2014)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $150 to $300 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
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Email Shweta Agarwal | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Once in a lifetime experience
The safari tour was amazing. We had missed our flight into the country and yet they managed the schedule very well. The airport pickup and drop off was very convenient. They were very flexible in accomodating all our asks and customized the trip based on our dietary requirements and budget before we flew into Kenya.
The drivers were very helpful, knowledgeable and addressed any concern and answered any questions we had. During the safari tour too, they worked with us to get what we wanted while we made changes to add some more places, answering any questions we had. The jeep for safari was well maintained. The guide cleaned it up every morning, were always on time and patiently waited if we were late. Driver was knowledgeable to know which route to take to escape other safari jeeps and allow us to get the best views. Always tried to find the best spots to capture nice pictures, friendly with kids too. Would definitely recommend them.
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Email John R | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Awesome Safari with an awesome company!
I cannot say enough about the spirit of Kenya. They were wonderful to work with during the entire planning process. They tailored the perfect safari for me. Responses from the travel planner were extremely quick and very informative.
Our guide Franco, was very professional, courteous And prompt. He was a wealth of knowledge and enhanced our trip with information about Kenya, the reserves and the many different animals that we had seen. I am hoping to return next fall and will definitely be requesting Franco once again.
Due to the COVID-19 situation we had to postpone our trip from early September until October. We rebooked very shortly before our actual travel dates. The spirit of Kenya made sure that everything was handled very smoothly. The only small complication that we encountered was that we somehow missed our Airport pickup and transfer to our hotel. After traveling for 24 hours I am sure that some of the fault rested with us being extremely tired. We never did see our pickup person. We took a taxi to the hotel. Shortly after checking to the room our driver did call us and apologized for our missed connections. He assured us that he was at the airport, and I believe him because the next morning when he picked this up for a another transfer he recognized me immediately. Obviously he had seen me but I did not see him with his sign.
The only suggestion that I can make, Is that when arranging for an airport pickup that the actual pickup point be somewhat better defined. In particular at what point after customs ( inside the terminal outside the terminal etc.) perhaps the phone number for the driver would be helpful as well. He spent the next morning with our driver Moses Who also was an off some guy.
Keep up the good work. After travel with you again soon.
DE
Email Mariia and Andrii | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Magic amidst a pandemic
There are vacations, there are amazing vacations, and then there is an African safari! Exciting, beautiful, colorful, versatile - those are some of many adjectives to describe the experience and the mood. And Spirit of Kenya (SoK) was responsible for the fairy-tale every step of the way. But let's start at the beginning.
1. Planning and booking.
Planning this trip was exhausting... for our sales manager Vanessa :) The number of change requests from our side was enormous, but Vanessa patiently stuck with us till the end and the resulting trip itinerary was all we could ever wish for! Thank you Vanessa so much!
The actual booking was pretty straight forward: there are plenty of payment options and even the final documents have been adjusted according to our requirements.
2. Arrival.
Upon our arrival at the Nairobi airport, we were picked up and transferred to our first hotel by a very nice guy Moses who was very friendly (in fact, it is remarkable how friendly and lovely people of Kenya are) and helpful. Everything went fast and smooth.
3. Safari.
A.W.E.S.O.M.E. Our expectations were fulfilled by 200%! We've seen the Big Five, Cheetahs, Lions' hunt, White Rhinos, Flamingos, Wild Dogs (a spices on a brink of extinction which, we were told, had not been seen for the last four years!), beautiful scenery, amazing skylight and so much more! It was magical!
4. Guide/Driver and organization.
Our guide's name is Nesta. He was our friend, our driver, our spotter. It is remarkable how skillful he is in spotting wildlife on great distance, how much exciting trivia he told us about what we've seen, how friendly, helpful and patient he was with us. We were difficult passengers, but Nesta was able to fulfill our every request and even more. Next time we're travelling through Africa, we will do it only with Nesta. Thank you so much my friend!
5. Kenya.
It's such a beautiful and versatile country! The political and economical situation there is far from ideal, but people stay optimistic, open, and friendly. Interesting fact: they seem to be coping with COVID far better than some European countries - we could learn a thing or two from them. The nature is beyond beautiful - it's breathtaking! And Kenyan government does a lot to keep it that way - the measures for protection of the national parks, reservations etc. are impressive! Same goes for the ban on plastic packaging.
6. Summary for SoK:
- Organization - Vanessa - excellent!
- Logistics and communication in Nairobi - Moses - excellent!
- Safari and everything around it - Nesta - excellent! excellent! excellent!
Thank you so much guys! We could not have wished for more!
Love,
Mariia and Andrii
IE
Email Tori | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Happy outcome
Had a tour booked in May of 2020 and had to postpone a year due to Covid. Due to the continued pandemic situation we had to cancel our tour. The company was willing to work with us for an outcome that we were all happy with. Hopefully we can use them in the future when the situation and world is a bit more stable!
AE
Email Narges | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent management, well organized
Everything arranged perfectly, our lead was super responsible.
We had one of our best experiences.
SI
Email Mateja | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Mateja J 3 The most fantastic safari one can imagine
The most fantastic safari one can imagine.
Review of Spirit of Kenya
Pending review
2 days Ambosei, 1 day lake Nakuru and 3 days in Masai Mara
We had seven amazing days on our safari tour. Even before we came to Kanya, we had the best experience planning out the trip with SOK. Venessa, thank you very much for being so patient and preparing so many options for the itinerary for us.
We felt that the one we chose was genuinely great for us.
Special thanks for the trip being so great goes definitely to Franko. We have never had such a fantastic experience anywhere in the world. He was truly outstanding. He is very professional, always on time, has a lot of knowledge, and is willing to go above and beyond to make our trip memorable.
Email Debasmita | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable safari experience, best camping experiences and the guide/driver was amazing.
Excellent safari experience. Vanessa curated a beautiful safari plan with some of the best camping/glamping experiences. Every stay and game drive was amazing. The food served throughout was very good and I would recommend them for Kenyan safaris to all my friends and family. Shuma was an excellent driver and guide and played a big role in ensuring our comfort and has very good knowledge about the terrain, flora and fauna. The game drives were extremely fruitful as we saw all animals we had on our bucketlist
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Email Stephanie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Safari with Professionals
Spirit of Kenya is the only company you should consider for your travels! The level of professionalism offered by this company sets a high bar for future trips abroad. Communication was outstanding from the first email to trip follow up. We opted for the '9 Days Big Kenya' package with an additional day in Maasai Mara.
I truly appreciate that the company gives you price options based on standard, comfort, exclusive, and premium level accommodations. We stayed at a mix of standard, comfort, and exclusive hotels - There is a great deal of custom options offered by Spirit of Kenya, so ask! All of the hotels were incredible and offered unique experiences. The service provided by these hotels, especially Sarova Lion Hill and Mara Basecamp, was beyond expectations. For example, we arrived late at Sarova Lion Hill but they held lunch for us. This was coordinated through our guide, Charles, and Spirit of Kenya as he kept the main office informed of our location and expected arrival time.
We are still dreaming about our time spent on safari. Our guide, Charles, was incredible at spotting predators from a massive distance. The 'five brothers' in Mara are a good example. We saw incredibly active lion cubs (two separate sets), cheetahs, white rhinos, elephants, giraffes, zebras, etc! It was so neat watching and listening to baby elephants attempt to eat grass and drink water. We also had a very inquisitive baby giraffe that came to investigate the vehicle. He was also a fantastic driver and managed the rainy season roads really well (shout out also to Vanessa for recommending the upgrade to the Land Cruiser during the rainy season). Charles was also very helpful and professional with ensuring COVID testing and screening practices.
Spirit of Kenya opened up the African continent to us for future travel. Charles offered many recommendations for a return trip! We honestly can't wait to return to Kenya for a tour of the central highlands (and possibly a hike up Mt Kenya or a marathon through Lewa). We also feel very comfortable bringing our parents on a future trip (and maybe even kids!). We will be dreaming about our experiences indefinitely!
AE
Email Jayesh Saini Kenya (JSK) | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
One of the best tour operator in Kenya
One of the best tour operator in Kenya. Good support and guide.
AE
Email Davide | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Hassle-free, carefully organized safari, great adventure!
We were really happy with the safari and had a fantastic time. Vanessa gave us prompt and clear responses to all our questions before the trip, including our doubts re-Covid restrictions and tests. Spirit of Kenya picked us up from the airport and arranged a PCR test before our return flight, everything was smooth and hassle free.
Our driver was Rafael. We enjoyed his company and good driving. He was able to take us to places safely and in time despite heavy traffic and bad road conditions due to the rain, particularly inside the parks.
He was really committed to spotting animals and was clearly an expert on animal behavior and on the parks in general. We saw lions, elephants and even a leopard, despite the rains and the tall grass.
He was careful to our needs and we really appreciated his extra efforts to make it a memorable experience - for instance the picnic lunch he arranged on the side of the Mara watching hippos and crocodiles was fantastic.
The accommodation was comfortable and safe in all the three locations. Food was very good everywhere we went.
In hindsight, we would have probably skipped lake Nakuru. Though the park is beautiful and we enjoyed it - we saw a majestic white rhino running towards us - the drive from Amboseli to Nakuru was long and a bit exhausting. But then again it depends on how much time is available and we only stayed there briefly. Overall a fantastic trip and adventure.
