Our Consultants in the office
Meektrails Safaris
- Office In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2020)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $130 to $2,000 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
ES
Email Lina | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
If you wish it, Meektrails Safaris can get it!!
I have just arrived from Kenia and have come completely delighted.
I never imagined to enjoy a Safari, i thought i was too expensive for us, but fortunately we met Daniel (the owner of the company) he could addapted our budgets perfectly so he has made the best tryp i have done in my life.
So, don't hesitage , ask them, you will be over the moon!!!
BE
Email Jens Theuwissen | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Highly recommended!
Having recently returned from an 8-day holiday/safari in Kenya... I hereby want to give an extended and honest review on Meektrails Safaris. As this was my 3rd time in Kenya (having previously travelled with Pollmans and Natural World Kenya Safaris) I’m in a good position to compare this safari with my previous experiences.
I came across Meektrails Safaris through SafariBookings.com... a site to find and compare safari operators. After having requested a quote through SafariBookings, Daniel Waruri (Meektrails its owner) was very very quick to respond to me. After some back and forth mailing and taking into account Daniel his tips and proposals, we came to an interesting itinerary. In total I requested quotes at +/- 10 different safari operators. In the end, although not being the cheapest, we settled with Meektrails Safaris. The reasons being, amongst others, the honesty of Daniel (not trying to upsell us like other companies), his long experience in the field, the quick and friendly replies, the regular updates on his social media canals (meaning his company was really active), his experience concerning photography and the fact the we wanted to support a relatively new operator during these covid times.
The itinerary we agreed on consisted of an 8-day/7-night safari consisting of 2 nights in Buffalo Springs National Reserve/Samburu (Ashnil Samburu Camp), 1 night in Ol Pejeta Conservancy (Sweetwaters Serena Camp), 1 night in Lake Nakuru National Park (Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge) and 3 nights in the Masai Mara (Zebra Plains Mara Camp).
Payment
Daniel was able to get me an extra Travel Industry discount at some of the camps/lodges as I’m active in the industry myself. We also agreed on only paying for the safari after we set foot on Kenyan soil (due to the uncertainties related to travel restrictions and a possible positive covid PCR test), meaning Daniel paid for the camps/lodges with his own savings. We highly appreciated this flexibility shown by him. In the end we decided to transfer 50% of the total sum once we had the result of our covid PCR test with the remaining 50% transferred when we were in Kenya. The covid PCR test in order to exit Kenya was arranged by Daniel and his staff meaning it was much cheaper than relying on a doctor visiting the camps in the Masai Mara.
Airport pickup
On our arrival in Kenya we were picked up at the airport by James. He would drive us to the hotel we booked ourselves in Nairobi (Best Western Plus Westlands) before starting the safari on the next day. Our flight got delayed a bit and it took a looooong time to pass the health check and immigration at Nairobi Intl. Airport... but James was still awaiting us when we finally exited the airport (the poor guy had waited almost 2 hours for us). Soon we were in the minivan on our way to the hotel. But then... we got unlucky. Just before leaving the airport perimeter the engine stopped and James was unable to restart the engine. With the help of a security agent, the van was pushed on the roadside. Miraculously the engine could then be restarted and off we were. However... after 1min on the highway the engine stopped working again with James being unable to restart it. We were thinking the worst as this van would also be our minivan for the safari. James stepped out, in the dark, in the middle of the highway to try to stop other traffic. Eventually a truck offered assistance and we were towed for 15min to a gas station. James filled some empty water bottles with petrol to fuel the minivan after which the engine could be restarted. While this “adventure” was initially a bit frustrating (after having already travelled more than 12 hours and just wanting a shower and a bed to sleep)... we soon saw the charm of this hiccup. I said to my wife... “if this airport transfer would be without issues you would have never remembered it... but now you’ll always remember our first day together in Kenya” ;-). And we’ve got a story to tell people. A big thumbs up to James. He didn’t give up and did everything in his power to find a solution. He was a bit afraid for his job due to this hiccup but I do hope he’s still with Meektrails as he showed he’s able to think out of the box to find solutions.
Safari minivan
We decided to do the safari with Meektrails black 4WD minivan. While many operators tried to upsell us and offer a 4WD jeep, Daniel was really insisting on using the minivan (even though he has the more expensive jeep option on offer as well). While the jeep looks “cooler” and more “impressive”... it doesn’t have any advantages. We encountered some thunderstorms during our game drives in the Masai Mara and the Meektrails minivan was as capable as the jeeps on the muddy and flooded roads. We got everywhere where the jeeps went and never got into trouble. Don’t expect a new or refurbished minivan though. The Meektrails minivan is a dusty and older van... but it is very very very capable when you consider the “offroad” and “bumpy” conditions in the safari parks. We couldn’t be happier with our “The A-team minivan” ;-)! The minivan lacks air conditioning (although a system seemed to be installed) and we were instructed to use the natural air conditioning during the transfers between the parks -> opening the sliding windows. This turned out to be more than sufficient. Inside the parks, air conditioning doesn’t make sense anyway as the roof will be open at all times.
The Safari itself
The proposed itinerary proved to be an interesting one. With each of the parks having its own attractions (the Samburu five in Buffalo Springs, the white and black rhinos in Ol Pejeta, the birds in Lake Nakuru and the big cats in the Masai Mara), the suspense was building up towards the end. The camps proposed can be found in the mid-to-luxury range comfort level. All of them were good value for the money paid.
The Safari guide
While we normally would have been guided by Daniel himself... medical issues meant we were given another guide very last minute. We were initially a bit disappointed by this as we would have loved to meet Daniel in real life and gain from his photography experience. Instead we were greeted and picked up by Peter who turned out to be a great guide. Peter had 17 years of experience in the field and always took initiative to tell us more about the different animals we saw, the landsights we crossed etc. He was very knowledgeable. While the attendance in the first 3 parks was rather low, Peter was always able to find us the special animals during game drives, not relying on radio information from other drivers/guides as there were none. During our game drives in the Masai Mara we were initially a bit disappointed when he parked the minivan a bit further away from the rare animals (leopards and cheetahs) and away from other vehicles. But it turned out he always made the right decision as the animals walked towards our minibus and passed at less than 1 meter. You might think... that’s just being lucky. Maybe... but it isn’t if it happens all the time. I would call it experience instead of luck. One time he put the minivan on the main road some 10m away from all the other vehicles. The 4 cheetahs walked in the bushes towards our van and sat down on the road just in front of us. You could feel the frustration of the people in the other minivans and jeeps as they all had to stay behind us while we enjoyed the very best views. It seems Peter really knew how to “read” the animals.
Would we recommend Meektrails Safari? I think, from the review above, it’s pretty clear we liked our experience with them. If you’re looking for a personal service, a good price/value safari with knowledgeable and responsible guides/drivers... don’t look further... and choose Meektrails. They are a young company trying to find their spot between the well established safari operators in Kenya. Contrary to others, they also do seem to be aware and put effort in their brand image (branded water bottles during the safari, every client gets his own “Meektrails” safari hat to take home, regular updates on facebook/instagram, ...)... and this helps to get a “feel at home”-experience. Daniel is also very open to communicate, before, during and after the trip... and is easily reachable through whatsapp and e-mail. One small remark/advice... update the minivan a bit. A lick of cool paint and branding on the exterior and some cleaning and new seat covering on the inside.
RECOMMENDED!
PT
Email Bruna | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing and affordable experience
We had an amazing stay, the guide did not rest until we were able to see every animal. It was life changing. Totally recommend meek trails safari
CZ
Email Jan Statecny | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Absolutely perfect
We went with Meektrails Safaris on a 4-day safari trip to Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru and Masai Mara national reserve. Owner of the company, Daniel, was very helpful during our whole stay in Kenya and prepared a great trip for us. We went on the safari with guide Peter, who was absolutely fantastic and thanks to him and his long-time experiences we managed to make memories for a lifetime.
I do highly recommend to get a tour with Meektrails Safaris!
US
Email William | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great Safari
I had an amazing week in Kenya. James is an expert guide with vast knowledge, easy to get alone with. We had a great time in Amboseli, Lake Nakuru and Masai Mara.
Daniel is a great guy and easy to deal with
Phillys thank you for all your help you were amazing
I highly recommend Meektrails Safaris for your next trip to Kenya
DE
Email Lisa | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Highly recommended!
We are a young couple from Germany in their 30s. We just came back from a 16 days safari in Kenya with unforgettable memories. We saw more than 30 lions - saw them mating and eating, saw lion cubs playing. We also saw several leopards and cheetahs, hundreds of elephants, giraffes, rhinos, zebras, hyenas, birds etc. We also saw thousands of wildebeasts in the Masai Mara, we also saw them crossing the mara river as part of the great migration – what an unforgettable experience! Kenya is really great for seeing wildlife, especially Masai Mara is a must do.
Our guide and driver Daniel, owner of Meektrails Safaris, showed us his home county. From planning to conducting, all was excellent. Communication with Daniel in advance was good and easy. He always replied prompt to all our questions and realized all our suggestions. All choosen accommodations were good, some were pretty incredible – imagine swimming in a pool while watching elephants drinking an bathing in a waterhole or watching leopards while having dinner.
Daniel has many years of experience as a tourist guide. Daniel is a friendly guy, who really loves his job.He is also a passionate photographer and while on safari he always positions the car in a way that great shots are possible. While travelling through Kenya Daniel drove us safe through the changing countryside.
For more information you can visit the Meektrails Safaris homepage, Instagram and Facebook Page. The best way to get in touch is to write Daniel a message on Whatsapp or an email.
Meektrails Safaris has a good price-performance ratio. We paid for the entire tour in advance by bank transfer. That worked without any problems. Meektrails Safaris is reliable and trustworthy.
Due to the ongoing corona pandemic, the hotels and national parks are less crowded. We had a great time in Kenya despite the pandemic. We always felt safe.
Phyllis is quite charming and reliable
We had such a good time in Mombasa, thanks to Meektrail safaris. In a short time, they were able to organize something special that coincided with my mum's birthday. Phyllis went above and beyond to make sure we had the best time even going to the extent of picking and dropping us at our doorstep.
What stood out for me was their reliability, cost-effectiveness and personal touch. Looking forward to traveling with Meektrail safaris to another destination.
Keep up the good work Phyllis!
I highly recommend!
IR
Email sana | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
professional with vast knowledge
ghis agency , specially Daniel is an expert tour guide with vast knowledge in nature, wildlife, tourism
They are meticulous in planning according to budget and time، and also so patient when facesd lots of questins and altering the plan befor booking
i extremely suggest to you
AE
Email Severine | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The Perfect Trip
Before starting my teaching contract in Nairobi I wanted to discover the country. I found Meektrails Safari online, they were very efficient with their communication and seemed very well organized. The package they formulated for me was very well thought and left me sufficient flexibility to make the changes I wanted. I had a video call with the owner Daniel who made me feel very comfortable which was important as I was taking this trip solo. The payment link was straight forward and I was able to make my full payment transfer without any issues. Daniel offered to pick me up free of charge from the airport even though the trip was starting 3 days after my arrival gesture which I really appreciated as I am new to the country.
I have booked a 10 day Safari/beach trip with 7 nights safari and 3 on the coast. The package was on a full board basis and included all transfers and my return flight to Nairobi. I honestly was not sure what to expect and I am sincerely delighted to have made this trip. I can’t recommend Meektrails safari enough. Daniel the owner took me on the trip, I particularly appreciated his flexibility. He was very accommodating from the planning to the day-to-day execution. I found him to be very informative and conscientious and it was great to be amongst a keen photographer like him.
Now that I have started a teaching contract in Nairobi, I look forward to using Meektrails safari services again for future trips.
Email Caroline | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
The best experience ever at an affordable rate and and at the fastest time
It was a normal Friday no plans but my body was tired and i needed a get away. A friend recommends meektrail tours. At this point i have no idea what i want. Thank God for meektrails they were able to quickly recommend sweet waters Mara serena in Nanyuki... Home away from home. Talk of the sun