MAASAI MARA
Balu Travel
- Office In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2022)
- Tour Types:
- Customizable private tours and fixed group tours
- 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
AE
Email Muhammad | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Pathetic customer service by someone named Morris who contacted me on my WhatsApp
My friend liked the safari combo and I sent $725 as Mr Morris who was in communication with my friend demanded 50% money in advance. After 2 days Morris confirmed he received the money and to my disgust sent me an invoice that he received only $695 where as I transferred $725 on his insistence, moreover this man is also very impolite and talks too much. He had the audacity to suggest I should not ask him and refer to my bank for further details. I am very disappointed as I have already paid and this man did not confirm anything as yet, also threatened my friend that he will cancel the safari which we have asked him to book for us and had already paid 50% money in advance. Totally non cooperative person who has no sense of customer service. I would like to request safaribookings.com to take action against Balu Travels and I will share all the relevant evidence to support my claim.
ES
Email Riasat | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Balu Travels was disrespectful
I was trying to weigh my options for a 3-4 day safari and Balu Travels was one of the tour operators I requested a quotation from through Safari Bookings. After they shared the quotation, I had a call with them the next day and requested for some changes. They texted me the new quotation. I told them I would review and get back to them the next week.
In the meantime, I received a more affordable quotation from another operator and decided to go with them. I politely informed Balu Travels that I would have to pass on their offer, but in response I got an offensive remark. I am quoting it here verbatim: "You people are very interesting, why should you make request with unrealistic demands then skip it. It's unprofessional to just want to waste time."
I am not sure what they exactly meant by "you people", but it is hard not to tie it to ethnicity. I think they miserably failed in their customer communication.
(images removed for privacy reasons)
SK
Email Peter | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Intense Experience
I tried really carefully to choose a company to go to Mount Kenya, Amboseli, and Masai Mara. The communication in the beginning was really good, and swift. We enjoyed our hike to Mount Kenya, however the quality of equipment provided was beyond what I expected. The mattresses were very thin. The tent was big (which was great!), however it had some holes, and we were worried if it was waterproof or not. On the other hand we enjoyed a good food, and amazing nature. Our guide did not speak very good English, and we would appreciate more information from him. For going to Mt. Kenya I do not recommend this company.
Kenya was our fourth African country for safari which we did with the same company as our Mt. Kenya and we only found out in the van on the way that the order of visits in Amboseli and Masai Masa had been swapped. In Masai Mara we stayed in a different campsite than originally booked, and we had not been informed about this in advance. The campsite was actually very nice, but I simply believe that such a change should be communicated to the costumers sooner. Our guide for safari, Derrick, was nice, polite, and spoke good English. He really knew the area very well. Our main goal was to see wildebeest crossing the river, and we were lucky enough.
Great service provider for Safaris
I did the Masai Mara safari for 2 nights 3 days with my husband and my 2 year old.
Morris from Balu Travels was coordinating with me. He was very prompt in responding to my questions.
Everything from pick up to drop off was well coordinated. The quotation had everything listed out in detail which was very helpful.
Would recommend them to anyone specially those travelling with toddlers.
NL
Email Joost | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great experience, knowledgeable and friendly guide and great communication
We first booked a 2-day tour to Amboseli with Balu. Morris was very responsive to questions, and also very flexible when there was uncertainty whether we would be able to make the prearranged date.
Ephantus was our driver and guide. A very kind and knowledgeable man. He drove us from our hotel in Nairobi to the Amboseli Sopa Lodge and from there we had our first afternoon safari. Ephantus knew exactly where to go for good viewings, had razor sharp vision to spot animals still far in the distance and had a lot of fun facts to share.
The Amboseli Sopa Lodge was also a perfect place to stay, and the game drive early morning next day was even better than the day before. We ended up seeing a lot of elephants very close, zebras, lions, giraffes, hyenas, ostriches, buffaloes, wildebeests, and much more. It exceeded all our expectations.
We were so happy with Balu Travel (and specifically Ephantus and Morris) that we booked a half day tour to Nairobi National Park two days later with them. Which again was an amazing experience.
Would definitely recommend them!
ES
Email Patricia Geijo | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A great safari
Jambo! We loved the safari! We saw the Big 5 and Frank is a great driver.
Very punctual and respecting the time to observe our favorite animals: lions, cheetahs and elephants.
We were very lucky to see the black and white rhino.
We will repeat in a few years with the kids.
Thanks.
Email Simon | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Best safari ever | Big 5 seen
We were picked up from our hotel in Nairobi by Dominic, our guide for the 4 day safari.
He’s a safe driver and took care to get all of us safely to the destinations.
He was also very knowledgeable and had great experience in locating the animals we’d come to see.
The car was comfortable and spacious for all three of us, with an elevated roof to allow us to see the terrain and animals.
IN
Email Sini | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The Agent crafts immersive trips that link travelers to local cultures with smooth logistics.
I highly recommend Balu Travel for anyone considering a trip to Kenya. After carefully researching various tour operators for my birthday safari, I can confidently say that choosing them was the best decision I could have made.
Morris was incredibly responsive to all our inquiries and presented us with a fantastic deal that included a private tour along with detailed accommodation options, complete with pictures. He broke down the meal inclusions, drinks, and planned activities for our 05 day tour, which gave us clear expectations. It was a lovely touch that he even came to meet us the day our adventure began! He also coordinated with my partner for a surprise birthday celebration at our base camp and made the arrangement for a hot air balloon ride. <3
The highlight of our trip was undoubtedly our guide, Steve. He was fantastic, ensuring that we experienced everything the safari had to offer. We were fortunate enough to see all of the Big Five and even enjoyed a traditional Nairobi lunch with Steve’s family, which was a truly authentic experience.
If you're considering a private or shared group tour, look no further than Balu Travel. Morris and Steve are the most reliable people you could work with!
ES
Email Alfonso Fernández | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best Safari ever and resort at the beach
After a deep research regarding where to begin with the world of Safaris, we decided that Kenya was the perfect choice, so we contacted more than ten tour operators and local agencies.
The majority of them were not flexible and did not adapt to our requirements, however Balu made everything easy, cost affordable and personalized until the smallest detail. Everything was ready before our arrival and between Morris (POC of Balu) and Denis (driver and guide) we had a great welcome at the airport and felt ourselves as locals after 3 days of private Safari. In addition to this, we decided to finish our trip in Diani Beach to relax, sunbathing and scuba diving and the recommendation of hotels made by Balu could not be better. We had Peter waiting to pick us up at the airport and the return.
As a summary, we have already recommended Balu to several friends and we hope to reach to them soon for another trip.
Email Rebecca | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing! Words fail me
I had booked a Safari with another operator back in June who a week before let me down. I was incredibly panicked because my whole holiday was planned around Safari. I made an initial enquiry on a Sunday and Morris was ultra helpful and reassuring. He offered me a range of options to suit my budget and really put my mind at ease. My initial feeling was panic but Morris really eased that and I was incredibly thankful he helped me on a weekend because this should be a day to chill.
Safari in Amboseli was amazing! Myself and my partner spent 3 days with Francis. It really felt like hanging out with a friend and that for us felt really special.
I would without hesitation recommend and book my adventures with Balu Travel. Their adventures suit every budget, their customer service is without fault and their range of places to visit means so much choice.
So grateful for finding this company!
