NAIROBI KENYA
Balu Travel
- Office In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2022)
- Member Of:
- KWS & TRA
- Tour Types:
- Budget & mid-range tours with set start dates and a fixed itinerary
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $3,013 to $6,886 per person per day (MXN, excl. int'l flights)
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)
CA
Email Dan | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Be aware that Balu does not run some of their groups and you may end up moved to others tours
Balu offers reasonably priced safari experience, but note that they act as more of an intermediary broker rather than an operator. They place you with other tour operators and so consequently you may end up getting shifted around one or more times to different joining groups/ vans during your trip. That does mean the max pax as set out in the booking and the itinerary may well change depends on what group you end up with- just be mindful of the flexibility that’s required when booking with Balu.
Reply from Balu Travel
Posted on Mar 26, 2025Thank you, Dan, for your feedback, we do agree that there was a logistics challenges with your tour and since we have made necessary measure to address such challenges.
As a company we wish to clarify that we aren't an intermediary or broker to anyone and that we are licenced tour operators in Kenya and like other tour operators we pull together clients to have group tours, this explains why you were in a group tour with other tourist from other tour operators.
We apologies that you felt mishandle it wasn't our intention, and your feedback is much appreciated.
IT
Email Bianca | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Commitment and friendly environment
Our Safari in Amboseli National Park has been an amazing experience, and it match our expectations. Is hard to spot all the big 5, but elephants, giraffes, Kikimangiaro mountain and the surrounding nature gifted us every day.
One of the thing that we appreciate most is the commitment of Balu company that thought about everything, trying their best to make us living the best experience!
We have to thanks a lot our special guide, Benson, that has accommodate us in every way possible. Is a funny man, with experience and a lot of interest. He blended with us and we have shared a lot of nice and funny moment. We strongly suggest Balu company and Benson as a guide.
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.
Email Hugo and Jane | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent, great value and attentive
My mother and I did the five day safari to Amboseli and Masai Mara. Our driver Meshack was amazing, he picked us up at 7:30 on the first day and looked after us very well for the whole period from Nairobi. We chose the 4x4 jeep, and would absolutely recommend to do, for comfort and convenience.
Meshack drove like the wind and got us from A-B faster and any other car on the road. He was incredibly kind and worked so hard for us, he wanted us to see everything we could in the time. When we told him that we didn’t like being around all the other vehicles of safari, he listened and went out of his way to give us a really special day away from most other land cruisers. His knowledge of the Masai Mara was amazing, but we would recommend learning about the animals beforehand or taking guides. He loved watching the animals, which made it even more special because you could tell he loved his job and his home in the Masai Mara. He was incredibly proud to be Masai, and that made it special as well. Would recommend going to the village as well, but be wary not to be pushed into spending money on things that might not be as authentic as they say - but it’s a great experience. They were kind.
The value for money was very good, but the food probably wasn’t as good as other parts of Kenya that we have experienced. Sangura was incredible and they were very attentive and kind, Simba Oryx was ok, but probably wouldn’t choose it again.
Thank you Balu and Morris. You were brilliant and we would 100% recommend to our friends.
RO
Email Andrei Stanescu | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very serious, trustworthy and easy to communicate with. Amazing guide!
SHADDY — we want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the most amazing safari we had. We enjoyed every second and never expected it to be so surreal. Balu is very trustworthy and they replied to our questions in the beginning much faster than all other companies — that’s also the reason why we booked with them. 🐅
As for our guide Shaddy, I’ve never met a more professional, passionate, well-hearted, committed and better guide in my life. He took us so close to the animals and knew exactly where to find all animals even when other groups had given up. 🙏
I’ll recommend you Shaddy and Balu Travel for all Safaris in Kenya over and over again!
Asante sana! 🇰🇪
Email Becky | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Professional,good time manager and efficient.
Personally, I did fall in love with Balu travel in kenya. They handle clients with a lot of professionalism and they go far and beyond to ensure that you enjoy your trip and stay.
Email Andrew and Hana | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The tour operator was communicative, professional and our tour guide Shaddy was amazing
Our 5-day safari in Kenya was absolutely unforgettable. We spent 3 days in the Masai Mara and 2 days in Amboseli, and every single day felt like something out of a nature documentary.
A huge part of what made the experience so incredible was our guide, Shaddy. His knowledge of the parks and the animals was outstanding. He seemed to know exactly where to go and when, and he shared fascinating insights about animal behaviour, the ecosystem, and the Masai culture throughout the trip. It felt like we were exploring with a true expert who genuinely loves what he does.
Thanks to Shaddy’s skill and patience, we were lucky enough to see the Big Five during our safari, including an incredible sighting of a leopard. Some of the most memorable moments were watching lions high up on a hill with their cubs, and witnessing another pride feeding on a buffalo. We also had amazing close-up views of elephants and other wildlife in their natural habitat. The positioning of the vehicle was always perfect for photography and viewing, and we never felt rushed.
Both the Masai Mara and Amboseli offered spectacular landscapes and unforgettable wildlife encounters. The vast open plains of the Mara and the iconic views of Mount Kilimanjaro in Amboseli made the experience even more special. We consistently had incredible views and magical moments that we’ll be talking about for years.
If you’re considering a safari in Kenya, I cannot recommend this experience highly enough. With Shaddy as your guide, you’re in the best possible hands. It was truly the trip of a lifetime.
