Natural World Kenya Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 50-100 employees (Founded in 2002)
- Member Of:
- ATTA, ASTA, KATO, MCTA & Ecotourism Kenya
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $5,379 to $8,676 per person per day (MXN, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
IT
Email MARIAROSA CERRI | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Dishonest company
My husband and I purchased a 10-day, personalized package including accommodations, safari car, park entrances and driver guide. Paid everything in advance. Already upon our arrival in Nairobi, Mr. Humphrey, the owner, communicated to us difficulties in finding the promised car. He then sent us a car to the airport which took us to the first park and which would be replaced the following day. However, we had difficulty both entering Samburu park and having a room at the lodge, as we were not booked. After a few phone calls, everything was resolved for the entrance and the lodge. Instead, for the car, an odyssey began: in short, for the rest of the journey we had to repay the car to continue and complete the itinerary, as the agency, with a thousand excuses, refused to pay the drivers. It was very challenging for us, as the drivers wanted to be paid exclusively in cash...For hotels, they were only paid for the first week. we had to pay for the last 4 nights again, as did the entrances to the parks. Once we arrived in Nairobi we went to the agency offices and the owner, as soon as he saw us, tried to escape through the back door... however, despite the threats to report him to the police and his umpteenth promises to reimburse us for the expenses incurred on the credit card, we got nothing. He proved to be an unscrupulous serial scammer. BE CAREFUL, AVOID IT
Email Mohith | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
My advise: Do not book!
Perplexed by all the recent reviews of Natural World Kenya, we were worried about being stranded mid-day despite paying in full so did some digging the day before our scheduled tour date. Thanks to all the recent reviews here, we saved ourselves a lot of pain.
We found that accomodations for the second half of the trip had been cancelled due to non-payment (e.g., Mara Serena Safari lodge told us that they had held the reservation and then released it when Natural World failed to pay them). This checks out with all recent reviews which highlight how Natural World leaves tourists stranded so that they're forced to pay again after paying in full.
Additionally, we received no flight or hotel confirmation until an hour AFTER our tour was scheduled to start! And that was only after they realized that we had cancelled our trip with them and filed for a refund with our credit card company. Amusingly, the confirmations only had one of our names (I guess the second person is flying with the luggage???) and that name was spelled incorrectly.
We ended up successfully re-booking with another marvelous tour operator. When we spoke with multiple operators to explain why we were already in Nairobi without a confirmed safari, they all understood and highlighted the same: Natural World is in financial trouble and so doing very shady things to keep the company afloat. Unsure why they're still allowed to operate. AVOID AT ALL COSTS!
Email Averey | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We were almost scammed out of $1,600
⚠️ WARNING – Do Not Book with Natural World Kenya Safaris!
We were nearly scammed out of $1,600 by this company. Please read other recent TripAdvisor reviews — our experience is not unique.
We booked and paid in full (online, by credit card) for an all-inclusive Lakes Nakuru & Naivasha Day Safari Tour for six people. The package included breakfast, lunch, three park entrance fees, a boat tour, and a walking tour. I coordinated with Ezra from their office, and Dikdik was assigned as our guide.
The day started well:
• Hotel pickup in Nairobi was on time.
• Our guide was friendly, talkative, and knowledgeable during the drive.
Red flags began two hours into the trip:
• We still hadn’t stopped for the promised “breakfast along the way.” When we mentioned it, our guide paid for breakfast out of his own pocket but said he was “unaware of the itinerary.”
Lake Nakuru was beautiful, and we enjoyed a great game drive thanks to our guide’s skill in spotting wildlife.
Then the problems began:
• On the way to Lake Naivasha, the guide asked for payment again, claiming Ezra told him we would pay in cash.
• He said he had used his own money for gas, breakfast, and Nakuru park fees but couldn’t pay for the rest.
• When I explained I’d already paid online, he insisted Ezra hadn’t given him the money.
• I called Ezra during the confrontation — he claimed payment would “show up in two days,” even though credit card payments are instant.
• This turned into shouting, finger-pointing, and accusations between the guide and the office.
From that point:
• The company stopped responding to all my messages. No apology, no explanation, no reimbursement.
• The guide pushed us to continue the safari and “pay as we went,” which we refused. We asked to return to Nairobi as we were afraid of being stranded.
What we paid for vs. what we got:
• Paid for: breakfast, lunch, boat tour, walking tour, three park entries.
• Got: one park entry, no lunch, no boat or walking tour, and an incredibly stressful experience.
While driving back, we checked other reviews and found multiple travelers describing this exact scam — same company, same guide, same story — and some lost even more money than we did.
Bottom line: This company is unreliable, unprofessional, and in our experience, dishonest. Save yourself the stress and book directly with reputable local drivers or a different company.
Email Justin | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Beware
This is not a complaint, it is too late for that, since I don’t plan to use this company ever. Instead, I am writing this review to help future travelers be aware of what they might encounter, and to provide important information so you can make an informed decision for your trip.
We booked our safari for six people with them well in advance and paid in full more than three months prior to travel. Our trip was coordinated by “safari specialist” Esther, who assured us that everything was set. She even met us in person to collect a thank-you note and reaffirm that everything was set.
Our first two days in Kenya went smoothly. However, the problems began when we crossed the border into Tanzania, in route to the Serengeti. We were suddenly stranded at the border because Natural World had not paid the local driver. Despite multiple attempts to reach Esther, we were finally able to get her on a call, during which she told us we had to pay $200 ourselves to continue the journey. We were shocked and explained that we had already paid in full. After a few hours, our driver, out of sympathy, decided to take us to the hotel without payment.
Upon arrival, we found that there was no reservation, and no payment made. The driver gave us the contact information for someone he called the “owner” of Natural World – Hamfry. After multiple attempts, we finally got a response, and the hotel reluctantly accepted us for the night.
The next day, while heading toward Serengeti, we were stopped at the Ngorongoro Park gate and again unable to proceed because no fees had been paid on our behalf. After hours stuck at the gate trying to sort this out, I received an email from Esther (please see attached) informing us that WE would need to pay $5,000 per day to continue, claiming they were having "a problem with their bank."
At that point, we had no choice but to hire another company in Tanzania, paying nearly $4,000 just to continue our journey. Had we not done this, our once-in-a-lifetime trip would have ended there. Another hotel had only been partially paid, and they were asking to we pay the balance ourselves.
I spent over a year planning this trip, and Natural World completely ruined it. Despite promises to reimburse us for the additional payments we made, we have not received a single cent.
To make matters worse, the “owner” never answered his phone when we needed urgent assistance. I have a log of
I am submitting a formal complaint to the Ministry of Tourism to help prevent other travelers from being put in a similar position.
I hope this review and the extremely unpleasant experience we endured will help shed light on what might happen to you. Please consider your options carefully before entrusting them with your dream vacation.
Email Sean | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
I recommend being cautious when booking with this company. Paid for service that we did not get
Sadly, like a bunch of others you can see on TripAdvisor, we lost thousands of dollars due to the actions of this tour company. This company operates under African Kenya Safaris as well as Natural World Kenya Safaris, so beware of both those names. We paid for our entire trip, in full, weeks before flying out to Kenya. When we arrived at our second hotel, they said our booking had been completely cancelled by this tour company one full week before we arrived.
Our next two hotel stays were still booked, but the company never paid. We spent 1.5 hours, each time, back-and-forth calling and messaging on WhatsApp in the hotel lobby with all our luggage. Neither were ever paid. It was late, dark, and we were tired and hungry, so we paid (again, since everything had been prepaid before we left home) with our credit card for the hotel - AFTER the tour company rep, Mary, agreed the company would reimburse us. She acted like this was an outlier, but we later discovered there are plenty of other victims.The hotel staff were shocked and felt so bad for us, and offered to comp our drinks at the restaurant. One guide said he had never heard of anything like this in over 18 years of being a guide. It has been weeks since they said they would refund us the money they owe, but now they will not reply to any messages. Beware of this tour company.
BE
Email Steven | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent and Unforgettable Safari
The safari we made with Natural World was excellent. We had a great time and we were lucky enough to see 4 out of the big 5 in the 4 days we stayed at the Masai Mara. We stayed in the Sarova Mara at the deluxe room and it was amazing: the food at this place is very good, variated, the whole facilities were complete! the tour at the safari was well organised and planned with our driver Evanson who was very friendly and he knows a lot so we learned about the animals and the area itself with him. We had a good time also because Evanson was very flexible on the schedule and the program we had for the 4 days of gameviewing.
Natural World is well prepared for the safaris, it is noticiable their experience and the best thing is that their cars are closed big jeeps whose top is open, giving you a sense of security, which is very convinient if its your first time for a safari and maybe you are scared or intimidated by the experience you are going to have. These jeeps are comfortable as well and equipped.
Lastly another good thing is that you can always pay half via transfer first and then the rest you can pay (as we did) in their offices in Nairobi on the day they pick you up so this provides a stronger security feeling.
I am reccomending this company for safaris to my friends who also showed interest in safari after my trip.
Greetings from Belgium
Steven and Fiory
IN
Email S Dash | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very well managed - made everything go like clockwork and what an amazing experience it was!
This was our first safari and we are very happy that we chose to book through Natural World Kenya Safaris. Right from the word go, the team at Natural World made it a seamless experience: starting with the booking, the hotel options, schedule, airport pick-up and drop and of course the safari itself. Our tour manager Henry was always quick to respond and kept us up-to-date on all information. Bonaya Shari, our safari guide did a simply fantastic job - be it his driving on the highway (very safe) or in the parks making every effort for us to see and enjoy the wildlife and the natural beauty. We must especially thank him for his patience with our 10 year old's incessant questions! The vehicle was well maintained, equipped and comfortable - we were a bit apprehensive about spending 5 days travelling by road, but it turned out to be a very enjoyable experience. A big thanks to the entire team at Natural World for making our first Safari adventure a special and unforgettable experience. Keep up the good work!
CA
Email Jenna | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Kind, organized, and provided a great experience
My friend and I loved our safari. We enjoyed having our own private vehicle and a very kind driver who took such good care of us.
We saw beautiful scenery in 2 locations (Tsavo and Amboseli) over the course of 3 days, and so many animals we can't count them all!
We were disappointed to arrive late to the Rhino Sanctuary and miss out on the chance to enter. This was one reason I chose the specific accommodation in that area. We would have appreciated being consulted regarding the changes made to our itinerary that led to us missing this opportunity. BUT everything else was seamless and provided us with an unforgettable experience. Highly recommended.
NL
Email Carolina | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful 5 days Safari Maasai Mara & Amboseli; perfect organisation, excellent guide, great value.
Great experience to visit both Maasai Mara & Amboseli; although not the full big five we have seen a lot of animals. Starting with the tour operator; from start to end a very professional organisation. Patricia, our contact person in headquarters Nairobi is driving for maximum customer satisfaction. The safari itself, the car was a 4 x 4 Land Cruiser Pop-up Top Jeep; car well maintained, clean, bottles with water available, enough binoculars, luggage stored in the back and wrapped in blankets to keep the dust out. Our first accommodation, the small and intimated luxury Losokwan Camp; very friendly staff, meals served outside combining food and excellent views. Improvement needed is the shower (you get a bucket with 20 litre hot water). Our second accommodation was the large AA-lodge close to Amboseli; very good shower, lay-out of the lodge very nice but missing the charm and intimacy of the Losokwan camp. Emmanuel our guide, was very knowledgeable; he does not only know which animals you see but was sharing a lot of detailed information on facts and their habits. He knows where and how to spot them. He brings the jeep close enough to the animals to get a very good look but at the same time respecting the habitat of the animals. Animals didn't seem to be disturbed by our presence. Apart from being an excellent guide he was pleasant company and a safe driver.
Why not a 5* rating? This has to do with the package. We booked Maasai Mara and Amboseli with a transfer by train from Emali to Mombasa. We had to go back from Maasai Mara to Nairobi and then to Amboseli, driving for 12 hours, with no time left for a game drive. Safety wise it is not desired to have one person driving that much. On our last day we had to catch the train from Emali to Mombasa early in the morning (only one train per day) so again no time for game drive. Of the 5 day safari effectively there were only 3 days with game drives. Those 3 days were excellent, definitely 5* !!!!. The information on, especially, the 3rd day (1 full day driving without game drive) should have been provided by Kenya Safaris during booking. If we would have known this upfront we would have changed the package to balance game drives and transfers better.
AE
Email Robert And Tanja | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Safari so good!
Just back from a wonderful Kenyan safari with Natural World. And I have no hesitation in giving them five well-deserved stars.
From the initial quote and the fine-tuning of the itinerary to the post-tour customer care by Humphrey and Caroline, this company was excellent.
Our superb driver Moses picked us up from our Nairobi hotel, the (upgraded) Land Cruiser full of wildlife guides and Moses' head full of the knowledge of 19 years as a safari tour guide.
He took us on a 5-night (bumpy - wear a sports bra, ladies!) road trip to Tsavo West, Amboseli, Lake Naivasha and the Masai Mara, and made it his personal mission to ensure we saw as much of Kenya's amazing fauna and flora as possible.
We managed four of the big five (no rhino sadly, but understandably) after a very determined day seeking out a leopard, and then spotting two!
We opted for Comfort-level accommodation, which was actually very, er... comfortable, though the first night's camp at Rhino Valley Lodge was very basic. But it made up for that with incredible panoramic views. The other camps were lovely and the food was very good too (with a special mention for Zebra Plains Mara Camp).
Crescent Camp at Lake Naivasha initially seemed as though it would be disappointing, as the lakeside was strewn with litter (one would think the camp might make an effort to clean up its lake front, even if it is public access), but the boat tour and walking safari on the island more than made up for this - as we strolled among the zebra and giraffe.
All in all, it was an amazing experience, and we have with wonderful memories and spectacular photographs to cherish.
Thank you to the team at Natural World Kenya Safaris, and Moses in particular.
Reply from Natural World Kenya Safaris
Posted on Jul 30, 2019Jambo Robert & Tanja,
Thank you for traveling with Natural World Kenya Safaris on your 6 days (5 nights) tour to Tsavo West, Amboseli, Lake Naivasha & Maasai Mara.
Thank you for appreciating:
- the fine-tuned itinerary,
- customer care by the owner Mr. Humphrey & your tour manager Caroline,
- your superb & knowledgeable tour guide/driver Moses,
- the 4x4 pop-up top Land Cruiser Jeep,
- & the comfort level accommodation with good food, especially Zebra Plains Mara Camp.
We look forward to seeing you again to spot the Rhino!
Asante!