JOCKY TOURS TEAM
Jocky Tours and Safaris
- Office In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2002)
- Member Of:
- AMREF & KWS
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $2,324 to $30,988 per person per day (MXN, 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
NL
Email Alex | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very good driver
Very good value for money. Saw the full big 5 in massai mara, with a very skilled driver. Camp side was very nice, with own bathroom.
Email Jazz | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Good price, bad safari.
If you can only afford a budget safari and just want good pictures of animals, then this one might be a good option. The cost includes all meals, park entrance fees, transport and everything was well organised. However, if you would like a good safari with nice animal encounters, then I'd recommend going with another operator.
We were driven around in the Masai Mara for 3 days by Isaac from Jocky Tours. Isaac had his radio on constantly, listening out for reports of sightings. As soon as a sighting was reported (which was pretty much constantly, the charm of the Mara!), he'd put the accelerator down and drive full pelt to the sighting location. You'd be thrashed around at the back of the vehicle. Isaac would go off road at every possible opportunity. The Mara is scarred with tyre tracks, even though guides are supposed to stick to the roads. Once we'd reached the animal, Isaac would do all he can to get in the path of the animal, and as close as possible. Sadly, most other cars had the same idea, making the animals very stressed as lots of cars (most of the time 15+ cars) fight to move within 2 metres of them. As the animals move, the cars move too, constantly creeping closer and interrupting their path. This meant that most of our animal encounters were actually just distressing, rather than enjoyable. This appears to be a problem with most drivers in the mara, not just Isaac, and needs to be sorted.
We asked Isaac if he could slow down, stop driving in the animals path and we said we did not want to go close to the animals and cause them stress. However, he didn't listen and continued to do as he liked.
There were a few nice moments with animals, where we asked Isaac to stop and turn the car off. But any peace was disrupted by the radio or him on the phone. He'd also decide quite quickly that he was bored and start the car and drive off, cutting our nice moments with animals short.
I left the Mara feeling quite sad, realising that the chaotic and cruel interactions between animals and the drivers that I'd experienced, most likely happen on a daily basis.
If you are looking for an enjoyable safari and a guide that actually cares about the wildlife, I would not recommend Jocky Tours. Despite the price tag for this Jocky tour trip being so appealing, I'd recommend finding another operator and being clear to them before booking about what type of safari you'd like to go on.
SK
Email Rich | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
good office interaction, driver not perfect
Minneh was great helping get this organized at the start and was quick to respond to our questions and queries, which was fantastic. But there were some mixups on what time we were supposed to be picked up at our hotel to start. Not a big deal, but we were told three different times and ended up ready at 7am while the driver said he was told to get us at 8am. A bigger deal was the 45min wait at the tax office coming home while our driver sorted out permitting issues on the way out. Other safari teams came through the tax checkpoint quickly, showed their receipts, and left -- less than 60 seconds -- while our paperwork wasn't quite right, and so we waited and waited and waited.
The animals of course were great, which is what you want to remember from the experience. And Keekorok lodge, while dated, was a great location and had super friendly staff.
I'd probably be okay using Jocky Tours again for the ease of payment and organizing, but just double and triple check how things are supposed to go on timing. And maybe avoid Leonard as a driver. We didn't get as a warm a fuzzy with him as we might have liked -- he'd clearly done this a lot before, but spent a lot more time on his phone while driving that we would have wanted.
ES
Email Marc | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Nice safari, old and broken vehicles and poor staff
Although Safari was amazing and we get to see all animals, there's a huge room to improve in staff/drivers and vehicles. Our vehicle was broken two times, we've change to another vehicle, and this was broken again. Drivers due not explain many things, and they drive looking all the time the mobile phone, so the trip was not safe. They don't provide you waters even it's included on the price, you have to request them all the time. On a stop to a restaurant, the driver and vehicle has disappear without saying nothing with all our bags, because they have to repair the vehicle, a bad experience. Price is good.
Reply from Jocky Tours and Safaris
Posted on Sep 7, 2016Hi Marc, Glad that you loved the safari part. We unfortunately regret and apologize for the vehicle breakdowns you had and unprofessional nature of our driver guide of the day. You traveled during peak time of the season and therefore there was a strain in resources, all our guides and vehicles were full booked and therefore we had to out source the guide you used on this particular day and leased his vehicle too. Sorry for the inconveniences caused to you.
IN
Email Yogesh | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The Best Family Safari Adventure in Kenya
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Outstanding Safari Experience with Francis!
Our family safari in Kenya was nothing short of amazing, and a huge part of that was thanks to our exceptional tour guide, Francis.
From the moment he picked us up, Francis made us feel welcome, safe, and comfortable. His professionalism, knowledge, and passion for wildlife were evident throughout the entire trip. He was always punctual, courteous, and eager to ensure we had the best possible experience.
What truly set Francis apart was his incredible ability to spot wildlife. Thanks to his sharp eyes and extensive knowledge of the Masai Mara, we were able to witness breathtaking sightings, including lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, cheetahs, and many other animals in their natural habitat. He always positioned the vehicle perfectly for photography and patiently allowed us enough time to enjoy every moment.
Traveling with my wife and young child, comfort and safety were extremely important to us. Francis went above and beyond to make sure our family was comfortable throughout the journey. He was friendly, attentive, and always happy to answer our endless questions about the animals, local culture, and Kenya itself.
One of the highlights of our trip was learning about the Maasai culture and traditions. Francis shared fascinating insights that made the experience much more meaningful and memorable. His knowledge transformed a simple safari into an educational adventure.
The vehicle was clean, well-maintained, and comfortable for long game drives. Every detail was handled professionally, allowing us to relax and focus entirely on enjoying the spectacular scenery and wildlife.
This safari exceeded all our expectations and created memories that our family will cherish forever. If you are planning a safari in Kenya, I highly recommend requesting Francis as your guide. His expertise, dedication, patience, and warm personality made all the difference.
Thank you, Francis, for making our dream safari come true. We hope to return one day and explore Kenya with you again!
Highly recommended without any hesitation!
NL
Email Inge | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Maasai Mara
We had a nice group of Africans & Europeans.
Our guide Kikitu was a great pleasure to spend the days. He has a positive way of guiding the tour and is an excellent drive during challenging circumstances. Kikitu did his very best, ánd succeeded, to bring us to the animals.
CA
Email Alex | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very knowledgeable about the parks and animals, patiently answered questions & went above and beyond
The tour was great! Clean jeeps, good driving, knowledgeable guides. The food wasn’t the best, all the served meals were the same and the box lunches included chicken that had been sitting in a car for 6 hours. At the Masai Mara camp the food was uncovered with flys swarming around and at one point a beetle was observed crawling in the rice.
AR
Email Adriel | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
good value for money
I would need more explanation from the guide about the animals during the safari. I recommend providing a PDF with information about the animals to be seen in different languages to facilitate understanding and make the most of the visit to the parks.
Email Karla | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great!
I did a 6 day tour of Kenya and loved it! John Walter was great - he was very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. Nothing was an issue. I stayed in basic accommodation which was clean and provided sufficient amenities. I particularly enjoyed the glamping sites. I have no complaints about my experience.
DK
Email Nadia | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic safari guide and driver
We had a fantastic 6 day safari, 3 adults and 4 kids. Papa John was a great driver and safari tour guide. He came on time always, was good at finding animals. We had nice gamedtives. All in all - the perfect trip. One drawback was the our last resort was changed the day before departure.