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
US
Email Eugenia G. | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A safari to remember
We had an 11-day private safari with Spirit of Kenya in January 2023. We started with Amboseli, then went to Samburu, lake Naivasha, Aberdare, lake Nakuru, and, finally, to Maasai Mara before returning to Nairobi. The planning of the trip with André was easy with all the option clearly presented for us to choose from. Considering this was our first safari, the help with preparation and planning André gave us was invaluable. We ended up picking a mix of different types and levels of accommodations, which turned out to be a lot of fun.
Our guide, George, was very knowledgeable and professional, always on time, always attentive to our needs and interests, always eager to make sure we saw as much as possible. We were privileged to see many amazing scenes of animal behavior I never thought were even possible (and I am a biologist, by the way). In addition to the famous "big five", which turned out to be not so hard to find, we also saw many small animals as well as birds. George seemed to know all 500 of them! My daughter - she loves birds - was particularly happy.
We opted to drive between the camps rather than fly. Sometimes it involved long drives, 5-6 hours, but we did not mind. In some way, it was even an added bonus, for we got to see a good part of the country, the towns, the people, and how the countryside changed depending on where we were.
We loved every one of the camps we visited, for each one was unique. If I have to pick a favorite, I would pick Samburu because of all the endemic animals found nowhere else. And we all loved Elephant Bedroom Camp, with the river nearby, with all the animals coming to the river, and the elephants visiting the camp every morning. I would also like to note a game drive in Aberdare. George said that hardly any other company does that, and, indeed, we were the only car in otherwise complete wilderness. That was thrilling. To summarize, the trip was amazing and organized to perfection. I highly recommend Spirit of Kenya to anyone wishing to have a great safari experience.
IT
Email Mauro | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very professional, precise and available to satisfy traveler's needs and desires
We had a wanderful experience in organizing a safari with Spirit of Kenya. Vanessa, our personal journey designer, was always ready to satisfy our needs and desires. The lodges where we spent the nights were of great quality and lovely located. The agency service was always precise and professional.
Charles, our guide, is an outstanding professional, always available, very well trained in his field and generous with information and explanations. He has been a great travel companion.
CO
Email Yalile Ramirez | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect logistic and service!
Planning and having our dreamed trip with Spirit of Kenya was an excellent decision! Since we started to plan this amazing trip they were very open to adjust every little thing to our needs and desires.
When we started the trip everything was great, they were very punctual, the car was comfortable and we had everything included during our six day of safari, the guide was very nice, he had an incredible eye! and was very flexible about we wanted to see and do.
The hotels were very comfortable, beautiful and had good food.
This trip was more than we expected and we wil remember it forever as the best experience of our lives!!!
Email Clive | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Don’t look any further than Spirit of Kenya
I booked with Spirit of Kenya (SOK), as their reviews were exemplary and I wanted our safari to be an unforgettable experience. It soon became evident that I had done the right thing.
From my early contact with Tiago, I was helped through the whole planning process. Nothing seemed too much trouble and my questions were answered quickly.
We decided on the “Big Kenya” 9 day safari, in order to maximise our experience and were certainly glad we did.
I arranged a further 6 night stay in Mombasa afterwards and Tiago was able to assist with taxi transfers. We could have booked this through SOK too but I prefer to plan my holidays independently, if/when I can.
On the first morning of our safari we were met promptly at our hotel by our driver/guide Shuma. You could immediately tell that we had booked with the right company as he presented professional in safari attire and the Logo’d Toyota Landcruiser was certainly the perfect vehicle for what lay ahead.
We had a good start when we asked Shuma whether we could make a quick stop to grab some breakfast to go and find an ATM to withdraw some cash for tips etc. He was willing to do this. This willingness was a theme that continued throughout our safari.
We found the “Big Kenya” safari, that we had booked, to be perfect for our requirements. All the safari parks were different and gave us different experiences of landscapes, wildlife and accommodation.
Our first night in Tsavo West was at the Severin park lodge. This was to be an unforgettable one as we retired to the sounds of Hyenas and were captivated by Impala and Giraffes walking past our (Glamping) tent.
The food served at our accommodations varied between a la carte menus and buffets, all of which were of very good standard.
At Tsavo West we were fortunate to see a leopard at close quarters, who was feasting on a zebra carcass.
Amboseli was probably my favourite park due to the variety of wildlife, particularly in the marshes. Hippos, elephants, giraffes, zebra, buffalo, wildebeest etc grazing in perfect harmony.
Our boat trip in Lake Navaisha was another highlight, especially with the diversity of birds that we were able to see.
Finally, at the Masai Mara, we were fortunate to see a pride of lions that had just killed a buffalo and calf. Shuma was able to skilfully manoeuvre our vehicle into a position that maximised our view and photo opportunities.
All in all our SOK safari was an unforgettable experience that will stay with us forever.
Thank you.
DE
Email Ancuta | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful experience with SoK
We had a great safari experience thanks to SoK, a truly amazing trip and a dream come true!
André was the sales rep we kept in touch with and he was quick to reply and professional. Thanks to him the organisation before the trip was swift and painless.
Mr. Karasha was our guide and we couldn't have hoped for a better person, he is knowledgeable, wise and open minded as well as a very good driver. We learned a lot from him not only about animals but also about Kenyan society and culture.
Email Siobhan and Lee | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It was so perfect, I don’t know where to start
Actually I do know where to start. Our guide was exceptional. Carlos made the trip for us. He is an excellent spotter, and on very good terms with so many of the other guides that they filled in anything that he didn’t spot himself. And the driving skills of that man! Many Kenyan by roads are Not Good, and he expertly got us around safely and speedily. He was very modest, but what made Carlos stand out was his care for his guests. As we travelled from reserve to reserve, he generously told us about the social and geopolitical situation in Kenya, as well as his life and family. It was fascinating and we loved it. I feel a real connection to Kenya now as a result - so much more so than other countries we visited on this trip. Carlos made sure we were very well cared for, no safari session was too long for comfort, and we had fresh water and comfort breaks whenever we needed them. If you go on safari, demand Carlos! The accommodation and food was excellent - and very generous. We saw all of the big 5 animals in about 3 days - even the elusive Rhino. But we were also treated to expert information on all the little animals and birds we saw as well. We love birds, and were very fond if the littler animals too, so that was very welcome - and we didn’t get the same quality of information on other legs. I was a little disappointed initially to see we were in a van rather than a Defender but my goodness that thing was INDESTRUCTIBLE! And it was great to see the animals from. We WILL be coming back to see other parts of Kenya - we had such a wonderful, magical time.
NL
Email Misako | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Life time experience!
We had a beautiful lifetime experience and fully enjoyed the safari tour!
Thanks to all the support by Vanessa, who promptly responded and helped us with all the requests and questions, it was really amazing and also very smooth trip which we will not forget for life.
Special thanks to Nesta and George, wonderful safari guides, they know incredibly a lot about animals and also their characters, diet and habitat.
Thanks to their skill of spotting animals, we could meet lots of animals.
Not only meeting and learning about animals but we also learned a lot about natures, diverse tribes, and environmental situations which the country is facing.
It was just so much beautiful and at the same time very insightful trip.
Definitely recommended Sprit Of Kenya, it will be your unforgettable memory.
JP
Email Aki | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect unforgettable Safari!
Our trip in Kenya was amazing experience. And our guide Mike was a perfect guy to show us always the hospitality and took care of us and kids during the Safari tour.
We were thrilled to be able to closely observe a cheetah devouring a baby Thomson's gazelle. Mike was wonderful because when we were distracted by a nearby hyena, he thoughtfully told us that there was a cheetah over there and showed us the cheetah meal scene when no one had arrived yet. He knew the animals so well that he waited until the cheetahs had finished their meal. And as he predicted, after the cheetahs walked away, hyenas and vultures came scavenging for leftovers at great speed. We were amazed and impressed by his professionalism as a safari guide.
At Naivasha Sopa Lodge, we were greeted by a zebra on the terrace of our room. The lodge grounds are home to zebra, giraffe, waterbuck, and a variety of beautiful birds that kept us entertained during our short stay and allowed us to see the animals very closely.
Also, the terrace breakfast at Masai Mara Camp was excellent. The Maasai staff made us feel welcome and provided excellent service. The fresh blue sky, the beautiful savannah, and the giraffe and her cubs walking peacefully in the savannah, made breakfast an unforgettable experience.
The walk to the Maasai village was an adventure due to the muddy soil after the rain. This made the experience in the Maasai village even more memorable. We enjoyed the Maasai dance and jumping competitions, and the children enjoyed our Japanese kendama performance, which was a memorable time. Mike always had a smile on his face and took care of us. We loved him and will miss him when we leave Kenya.
Lastly, this was our first trip to Africa and we were excited, but at the same time we had anxiety before we got to Kenya. Thank you so much Filipa for planning the tour all through online communication and responding to our detailed questions in a polite and prompt manner.
CZ
Email Milan | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
3 days safari in Amboseli NP
My trip to Amboseli NP was great. All services were perfect. First of all I would like to appraise my driver and guide Mr. Samuel Kaguma Nibugha who was well informed about animals and about nature in Kenya. He was very friendly and able to fulfil my wishes. Despite of the rainy seasons we have met all interesting animals and as a bonus I saw the Mt. Kilimanjaro.
I promised my wife to go for a Safari in Africa any times together. If it will be possible we will use services of company Spirit of Kenya. Definitely.
PT
Email João Carlos Carranca | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
A perfect organization for a couple to spend 13 days of Safari in 4 different reserves. Tks Tom
A perfect organization for a couple to spend 13 days of Safari in 4 different reserves. The guide/driver showed the 5 unmissable animals and managed to show his friendliness and camaraderie with us and his colleagues. Thank you spirit of kenia and Tom.
(automatic translation from Portuguese)