Hundreds of thousands of foreign tourists visit Kenya every year, for which they hope to have an excellent safari experience in one of these magical zones, such as the Masai Mara or Amboseli National Park. As soon as they fly off the plane, hundreds of street vendors approaching them who want to sell them a safari tour on the spot. In Nairobi and Mombasa, there are many hundreds of safari tour operators. But they are not doing well.
Although there are honorary companies that are trying to give you a valuable tour of safaris in Kenya, many companies deliver poor services, while others are outright fraudsters. Complaints range from disregarding acceptable customer requirements and terrible food to disappearing overnight with your money and sexual harassment from employees.
There is often quite a bit of money. For budget safari camping (which means you will be in a tent in an open camp and not in a luxury rental camp or cottage), the minimum prices range from $ 70 to $ 80 per person per night, which means at least $ 560 for a couple going on a 5-day safari (I recommend the minimum length to get a real bush experience). This is a lot of money for most Kenyans.
Bad budget companies
Most complaints concern budget companies in Nairobi and Mombasa. The increasing park entrance fee (set by the Kenyan government) and high gas prices limit their ability to cut costs. Instead, they are trying to cut costs by not supporting their vehicles (so that you lose the days waiting for a tow truck) or by illegally entering parks, which can cause problems for you.
Other budget companies do not have their own equipment, but wait until they have enough orders, and then quickly try to hire some equipment. But who will say that you will return your money in case they fail? Moreover, some companies do not even organize safaris on their own, but work only as a kind of brokers who work on a commission for actual tour organizers. It is often difficult to tell them apart. Although such agreements are not bad in principle, it can leave you with uncertainty who is responsible in case of non-compliance.
Unfortunately, quality is incompatible even among the best tour operators. This is possible for good operators who do poor work, as well as for companies that sometimes shine. But good companies, at least, will actually take you on a Kenya safari tour and try to make up for you if something goes wrong.
Spot fasteners
With the exception of top-level organizers who have a stable track record, it is best not to book a safari tour in Kenya in advance. Although most tour operators allow Internet access and phone books, it is best to do it on the spot. Visit the offices, talk to the staff and see what kind of people they are, and compare deals. In addition, booking your safari, besides your hotel and / or flight, gives you more options and flexibility.
Ask them to state the details of your plan in advance. Be polite and friendly, but make it clear that you will not take anyone. And do not pay all your money in advance. Keep at least part of the payment after delivery of the service.
So can you name names?
Many travelers ask us for names: who are good and bad companies? That is why we have compiled a special report in which Kenyan safari tour operators work well. After due consideration, we didn’t include the blacklist & quot; bad companies, since it is not without problems. Instead, we focused on companies that constantly receive good traveler reviews (which present them on our website and on many other online travel forums). This report is available for subscribers of our electronic journal.
