Our staff
Jamlan Holiday Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2021)
- Member Of:
- Kenya Tourism Regulatory Authority & Kenya Association of Tour Operators(KATO)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $50 to $400 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Mark B | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Once in a lifetime Safari didn’t disappoint.
We had a 4 day safari - Masai Mara, lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha and had an amazing time
Firstly I would say that the extra £500 we spent on having a private jeep rather than sharing was well worth it.
It gives you more space to move around, a view for everyone to look out both sides of the jeep and space for everyone to stand up while touring. It also means that the flexibility of the schedule that was necessary due to a little rain, and excellently accommodated, was in our control rather than having to negotiate with other passengers. Especially the early starts as we were keen to use entry second of our trip and not be delayed by other passengers being up late or slow at breakfast.
We saw everything we wanted too and much more, the big 9 and loads of birds.
Thanks to John’s constant communication with other drivers on the Masai Mara we saw an extraordinary lion hunt and kill, and a resting male lion lying next to his Hippo lunch.
The Masai Mara was far the best part of the trip as there is the ability to go anywhere and follow the animals rather than sticking to roads. It was slightly frustrating in Nakuru being just too far from some animals to see them clearly and get good photos after being spoilt on the Masai Mara but that is the case in many more managed parks.
That’s not to say the more controlled Nakuru wasn’t good but just not as wild.
The Masai Mara village visit was well worth it as was the boat trip at Naivasha but I would also recommend adding the conservation walk for around $20 a head as walking so close to the animals was magical and great for photo ops.
The hotels were lovely and well styled - especially the Navaisha hotel where you shouldn’t miss a hippo walk after dark which finished off seeing them from the boat wonderfully.
One point to note is that many roads are not the best in Kenya, which is just how they are, but don’t used Google maps other anything similar to calculate journey times - they widely underestimate, unlike John who knew the times all to well.
Finally the communication via WhatsApp was rapid and constantly helpful.
Well done Jamlan Safari’s
Email Julie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Magnificent and Friendly adventure
It was an amazing experience to witness the migration with my friend Jayden.
Our driver John was quite knowledgeable and kind. He accommodated all our requests and managed to find all the big five for us even after witnessing the migration.
I would definitely recommend him and Jamlan holiday safaris. Teddy who was our consultant was quite helpful too and recommended amazing accommodations for us .
Email Sanjay Banerji | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Reliable, customer-centric, knowledgeable with extensive safari experience
We were very fortunate to have Sam as our driver and guide during our week long safari traversing Amboseli, Naivasha and Masai Mara. Sam is well spoken and has a great sense of humour. He has excellent networks which enable him to seamlessly cut thru challenges and ensure a smooth and seamless safari experience. Sam is a safe driver and his patience on what can be very challenging road and driving conditions assured us that we were always safe. Sam is flexible and willingly accommodated changes to our plan due to unforeseen circumstances. As a foreigner travel in remote areas can be very daunting and having Sam with us gave us a feeling of safety.
We will recommend Sam and Jamlan Holiday Safaris to our friends and family and look forward to using his services when we next visit this beautiful country. If you are looking for a safe and memorable wildlife experience, it just does not get better than Jamlan Holiday Safaris. Thanks Sam for looking after us and we look forward to staying in touch with you and wish you the best in growing your amazing business.
Email Jayden | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Tremendous and mindfulness, very professional
Witnessing the great migration was an amazing experience. It's a wonder in deed. We loved the accommodations recommended by Teddy and our guide was quite knowledgeable and kind.
We sure look forward to visiting again
DE
Email Ulrich | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Very good guide but lack of organisation and support by operator
First of all: Our guide was friendly and competent, so we spend a pleasant time.
Now the reason for the two star review:
- First of all, we did two gamedrives less compared to the itinerary. This was strongly recommended by the guide since the location of the lodges would not allow to complete the program as it was foreseen by the operator.
- Second, the transport to our hotel after completion of the tour was organized poorly and took several hours more than necessary. After suggesting an alternative transport I was offered transfer by car for 230 US Dollars, more than three times the price charged by our hotel.
- In the morning of the last day the operator approved our request to be dropped at Sala Gate, instead of Voi Gate. Thereafter I ordered a transfer to the hotel. Two hours later, shortly before departure and after I ordered the driver, we were told that a transfer to Sala Gate would not be approved, since the operator did not want to pay the fuel for an extra 150km (of course, the two gamedrives less were not refunded).
- Instead we should rush to Voi, where we were supposed to take a car from Voi to Malindi. So we left the lodge early and skipped the gamedrive scheduled for this day
- Arriving in Voi it turned out that there was no space for us in the car - so we had to wait two hours two hours to take the train to Mombasa.
All in all there was a total lack of organisation and support once the money was paid. The refusal of driving us 75km to Sala Gate was rediculous, considering the price of the safari and the fact, that the operator delivered two gamedrives less than promised.
Reply from Jamlan Holiday Safaris
Posted on Sep 3, 2024Dear Ulrich, Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback. We are pleased to hear that you found our guide to be friendly and competent, and that you enjoyed your time with him. However, we are deeply sorry to learn about the logistical issues you encountered during your safari. Your experience does not reflect the high standards we strive to maintain.
We apologize for the changes to your itinerary, including the missed game drives and the confusion regarding your transport arrangements. We understand how frustrating this must have been, especially given the expectations you had based on the original plan. The miscommunication regarding the drop-off at Sala Gate and the subsequent transportation delays are not acceptable, and we regret the inconvenience this caused you.
Please know that we take your feedback very seriously and will be reviewing these issues with our team to ensure that such problems do not occur in the future. We value your business and hope to have the opportunity to provide you with a much-improved experience should you choose to travel with us again.
Thank you once again for your honest review.
HU
Email Bence | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Helpful, good and quick communicaton
Everything was perfect, the tours, the accomodation, communication, everything. I’m sure we’ll be back someday
US
Email Denka Wangdi | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Amazing
The tour we did in July from Tanzania to Kenya was a wonderful experience. The hotels were incredible except for one which was quite far removed and also lost power one evening but of course not the tour operators problem,
My 10 year old son and I went for aprox 10 days and it was an incredible visit to Seregenti, Ngorongoro, Masai Mara, and to Nairobi. The trip especially in Kenya can only be described as magical - the Mara is an incredible experience and while I know the big 5 cannot be guaranteed, because we didn’t put pressure, we actually witnessed and saw more than anyone can imagine,
We came in July and weren’t expecting to see a migration but after 9 hours waiting patiently one day, we happened to see 2 tigers approach a group of almost 1000 zebras and they crossed at another location with hippos and crocodile infested waters,
The trip was especially made wonderful by our fearless and wonderful tour guide Nixon. Nixon not only took the time to explain the history and culture but he invited us to meet his lovely and wonderful family and we got to witness more than we had ever dreamt.
We also visited Nairobi properly and Nixon and his brother gave us a personal tour of the city, going to places that aren’t often visited, I love to always see the local universities and we happened to visit the University of Nairobi and also go to the city cultural center where they host UN and other foreign dignitaries and ministers.
To see a country, you cannot say you happened to just go on safari. I advise anyone , learn the history, spend time learning the beauty of the people, the city in its splendor and finally- get to unplug and see the natural beauty that is Africa.
I grew up in high school in Southern Africa and have toured extensively and done many safaris in South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. I was blown away by Kenya and I have Nixon and his family for making it so memorable
When we saw the crossing, the zebras went to another point. Nixon had the foresight yo take off immediately and he knew exactly where they might go. Sure enough; they went there and we were a handful of cars to witness it.
I’ll also insist in this review, please bring cash and tip generously. The team takes their time to show you their beautiful country, the least us foreigners can do is show them our gratitude properly
Most importantly, the memories you build on safari and on the road can never be replicated even in a resort. Enjoy and I thank Teddy, Jamran and everyone at the tour company for showing us the love.
US
Email MarzyBB | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing Safari Experience that Exceeded my Expectations!
I booked my first group tour ever for a trip to Tanzania. It was an amazing tour full of cultural immersion and experienced staff. While I enjoyed that experience immensely, I decided to take a solo safari to Kenya and I wanted to have a different experience. I found the website www.safaribookings.com and looked for a safari that would show me different areas of the country. I liked Jamlan and the 6-Day Magical Safari Tour to Samburu, Nakuru and Masai Mara. From my very first message, Isabella was warm and responsive. She answered every single email quickly and made me feel very confident that I would have a good safari and that everything would be handled professionally. Nickson, a Masai, was my Guide, Animal Spotter/Driver. Each skill was essential to having an amazing adventure beyond my dreams. I was in Africa to photograph animals. With Nickson’s guidance I was able to take bucket list shots I always dreamed of. It is a skill to navigate the many twisty, small roads, rocks and water while sharing the road and information with other drivers. However the knowledge about the many birds and animals and how to spot them was remarkable! The things he knows about their habits, their diets and their mating habits was way more than I expected. I was so impressed with his level of knowledge and education. He was also very funny and kind. Hiring a private guide was the best decision ever! It will take me weeks to review the thousands of photographs I took on this trip. Lastly, all accommodations selected by Jamlan were very nice and one was an exceptional luxury tent experience! I will never forget my Jamlan experience with Isabella and Nickson.
Email David D | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Best Safari ever!!
Teddy sorted everything out to my specification. John our driver was fantastic. The hotels, especially kilaguna tsavo west and sopa lodge lake nakuru, were fantastic. Cannot recommend Jamlan enough
IT
Email Angelica e Giovanni | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing Safari experience - best quality/price ratio
We had an amazing experience with Jamlan. The organization and preparation of the trip - Teddy in particular - was fantastic and extremely professional. The trip itself was very well organized and the lodges were of very high quality in great locations. Very good quality-price ratio. Nickson, our Masai guide, was very kind, flexible and knowledgeable about the parks, the animals and the local culture. 10/10 experience, would highly recommend. Perfect for a young couple, but also for families, groups of friends, or even solo!