Advantages of Osprey Safaris Kenya – Why we are different

No mixed groups, no competing for views with strangers, and no conflicting interests. With Osprey Safaris Kenya, you will enjoy the exclusive use of a private vehicle providing maximum flexibility, comfort and wildlife viewing.

• Private Vehicles: No mixed groups, no competing for views with strangers, and no conflicting interests. With Osprey Safaris Kenya, you will enjoy the exclusive use of a private vehicle providing maximum flexibility, comfort and wildlife viewing.
• We are Kenya specialists because we are a Kenyan company. We are based in Nairobi, Kenya.  We are owned by Kenyans. We don’t generalize in Africa, we focus only on Kenya, the home of the great migration and more animals than you could ever dream of. 
• Unlimited Game Drives: Each safari offers unlimited game drives with no mileage restrictions and exclusive access to the most secluded and wildlife abundant areas in Kenya. Most other companies operate shorter, limited game drives, shuffling their clients through heavily trafficked areas on the normal “safari circuit” but never make it far from the lodge – or the other tourists – We will take you into the isolated wilderness where these packaged tour companies don’t go!
• Flexible Travel: By choosing Osprey Safaris Kenya, you have the luxury of creating your own agenda without being forced into a rigid itinerary or fixed timetable.
• Personalized Experience: You are in complete control of when, where and how long you game drive, what animals you look for, how long you stay at each sighting and when you return – it’s all up to you.
• Sunrise Safaris: We offer early morning game drives to witness the animals in action. We can even pack a picnic breakfast to enjoy in the bush while the package tours are back at the lodge gathering everyone together.
• Giving Back: we contribute to the preservation of a fragile ecosystem, the protection of exotic wildlife and the well-being and advancement of people in Africa.
• We promote sustainable tourism and take care to minimize impact on the local ecology. We support local charities and conservation funds in Africa.
• Safety: Your safety is of ultimate importance, as well as your comfort and peace of mind. We have offices both in the U.S. and Kenya to support all segments of your trip, and all safaris are 100% escorted and chauffeured from arrival to departure. We are partnered with Flying Doctors and have a 100% safe track record.
• We are licensed and insured in both the USA and in Kenya. We are committed to providing the highest quality adventures in a safe and secure environment.
• Our Reputation: Check out our excellent reviews here.
• Binoculars: A pair of high-quality binoculars are provided for each person while on safari. You don’t have to share and it’s one less bulky item to pack.
• VIP Service: The moment you step off the plane at Jomo Kenyatta airport, we will escort you throughout your safari experience. From pick-up customs and transfers, to guiding you safely to your lodge or camp we are there with you all the way until you board your plane home.
• Variety of Activities: Beyond what your safari offers, you can choose from a large selection of unique optional activities including authentic cultural tours, scenic flights, field talks, balloon safaris, bush picnics and walking safaris.
• Our Vehicles: ALL of our vehicles are customized 4-wheel drive stretched Land Cruisers that have been modified to be able to be dismantled to fully open canvas windows and tops for the ultimate photography experience. This allows for maximum comfort and flexibility.  We do not employ mini-vans or other less capable vehicles.  Check out our vehicles here.

We are Kenya specialists and we know East Africa

We are based in Nairobi, Kenya. We are owned by Kenyans. We don’t generalize in Africa, we focus only on Kenya, the home of the great migration and more animals than you could ever dream of.  We know Kenya.  We pride ourselves in making your safari an amazing experience. We are a Kenyan owned local safari company with ties to conservation, community and local Kenyan culture.  

Why choose Kenya?

• Unparalleled concentrations of wildlife – there is no African country that can compete with the density of wild animals in Kenya including lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena, wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, elephant, giraffe, rhino, hippo, impala, hartebeest, eland, Thompson gazelle, baboon, vervet and blue monkeys, as well as many birds and other smaller animals.
• Home to the Great Migration– over a million wildebeest and zebra sweep through the Maasai Mara plains in search of food and water. You will lose all track of time as the sun rises and sets over the plains. Listen to the deafening chorus of grunts and the pounding of hooves as thousands of migratory wildebeest and zebra thunder past your vehicle.  An exhilarating experience to be sure.
• More Diverse National Parks and Unique reserves than other African countries – imagine sweeping grasslands teeming with animals; sparkling soda lakes filled with thousands of pink flamingos, towering mountains, alpine forests and endless blue skies. 
• Kenya offers a totally unique and authentic safari experience.   From the world-renown Maasai Mara Plains to the northern Laikipia Plateau and Samburu country, all the way to the dunes and crocodiles in Turkana.  From Mt. Kenya to the incredible Lakes Naivasha and Nakuru down to Amboseli and Tsavo in the south under the shadow of Mt. Kilimanjaro, it is hard to believe that one country hosts such an incredible variety of habitats. 
• The higher elevation of Kenya – this ensures that you have comfortable temperatures for wildlife viewing year-round, as opposed to many lower lying areas in Africa that can get hot and muggy.
• Politically stable and safe – the Kenyan economy is strong with a wide middle class, expat community and excellent infrastructure.  All the national parks are well protected and patrolled by the Kenya Wildlife Service who work hard to ensure the safety of visitors. 

Unlimited Game Drives and Personalized Itineraries

By choosing Osprey Safaris Kenya, you have the luxury of creating your own agenda without being forced into a rigid itinerary or fixed timetable.

Each safari offers unlimited game drives with no mileage restrictions and exclusive access to the most secluded and wildlife abundant areas in Kenya. Most other companies operate shorter, limited game drives, shuffling their clients through heavily trafficked areas on the normal “safari circuit” but never make it far from the lodge – or the other tourists – We will take you into the isolated wilderness where these packaged tour companies don’t go!

Benefits of a Private Safari

Different people are all interested in different things. Sometimes these different interests start competing with one another on a group safari.

One person might be set on photographing an animal and willing to wait until the perfect moment, while another person is anxious to follow that pride of lions getting ready to hunt. Someone else might want to leave the lodge before sunrise to see animals in their more active states, while another party wants to visit a local village or eat breakfast at the lodge.

A private safari is different.  You don’t have to compromise your once-in-a-lifetime-trip to follow someone else’s plans. 

Our Team

Our team is led by co-owners, John Kago and Ross Plank. John heads our operations in Nairobi and has been leading private custom safaris in Kenya for over 15 years. Ross heads up the team in the US and Europe.

John has a degree in wildlife management from Mt. Kenya University and holds a Silver Medal from the Kenya Professional Safari Guide Association.  He has guided for many safari companies over the years including National Geographic and A&K to name a couple and is really passionate about bird watching, natural and wildlife history in Kenya.   John is out in the field almost every week both guiding, training, and working with local community groups.  Check out our facebook and instagram feeds for some of the latest posts from John from many locations across Kenya.  

 

Ross teamed up with John in 2019 to launch Osprey Safaris Kenya and since then, has helped to build it from a start-up to a high quality safari company focusing on private custom tours in Kenya and east Africa.  

 

 

 

Professional Driver/Guides

The single most crucial factor for a successful safari is the quality of their GUIDE. You will have the same driver-guide for the entire trip.

Your guide/driver will be responsible for helping you plan your days by giving you suggestions, although ultimately the decisions are up to you. The guide knows how safe it is, can get you out of trouble, and can introduce you to experiences that you never knew existed.

Each mile, stop, and step along the way, your expert guides share their vast knowledge of the areas, offer special recommendations, and tell colorful stories about animal behavior, biology, tracking, cultural and historical perspective to help bring the experience to life in a powerful, memorable, and enriching way.

Our guides are passionate about their job because we all know enthusiasm is contagious and can greatly enhance one’s enjoyment of the trip.

Expertise, Passion & Hard Work

ALL our guides are local Kenyans, well-educated, certified as professional safari guides and trackers by the Kenyan Association of Safari Guides and they all speak fluent English.

One of the most important jobs of the guide is finding the animals.  Therefore, your guide understands intimately the animals’ habitats and behaviors.

They are also proven animal trackers and can both drive and guide by foot. They have vast knowledge of all types of animal behavior, biology, trees, insects, birds, ecosystem. Our Guides / Tour Directors are jack-of-all-trades: they deliver commentary about the sights, handle the organization and logistics of getting the group to and from where they need to be. They “bring the fun” by acting as an entertaining presence, enriching the travel experience, and promoting bonding over the days spent together.

A private guide is ALWAYS the better option. Why?

Many people ask us, “why is it better to have a private guide instead of using different guides employed at various properties?” Some companies shuffle you between different camps without a dedicated driver guide, and that means you will have a new guide at each location, and you will need to go out on shared game drives with other guests. That means you lose the ability to control your own schedule and the amount of time focused on your interests. By the time you’re done shuffling between the various driver guides, you may have heard the same lesson on dung beetles 20 times, which is always repeated 1) because the driver guide is new to you and he doesn’t know what you’ve heard, and 2) for the benefit of other new guests in the vehicle with you.  The lodge driver may not make it out far from the lodge to look for the leopard or cheetah cubs or other interesting animals that may be a little bit more difficult to find – and further out.

Safari Safety

Safety for our guests is hands down our #1 priority here at Osprey Safaris Kenya! All safaris are 100% escorted and chauffeured from arrival to departure. Every vehicle is equipped with a long-distance radio. These radios are used for communication between other driver-guides for game reports and with our main operational office in Nairobi. If there is any problem on safari, your driver-guide can immediately manage the situation as he is trained and has the experience to manage any problem. The lodges and camps we use each have guards that watch over the property at night, and whistles or radios in the tents to get a guard’s attention if you have any urgent concern.  If you choose to go on walking safari, you will be accompanied by an experienced/armed ranger and/or Maasai warrior who will be responsible for maintaining safety. Also, Kenya is a VERY safe place to visit! Although many of the people in Kenya still live a very simple life in rural villages, Kenya is inherently a very PEACEFUL country. The local Kenyan people are extremely gracious, polite and just a wonderful to interact with. Guests are always overwhelmed with the warm smiles, kindness and general hospitality of the Kenyan people.  Come on safari with us and you will see!

Vehicle Reliability

This is something we take very seriously. Each vehicle gets regular service and inspections, and we go well above and beyond and spare no expense.   Each vehicle gets fully inspected and serviced by our team of experienced mechanics after each safari, and it is an intensive inspection/service! The occasional breakdown or flat tire does still occur, as driving in the bush is much (much) harder on vehicles than driving on paved road. But our driver guides are all well trained and well equipped to handle breakdowns that do occur while you are in the bush.  If for any reason a vehicle cannot be repaired quickly, we do have a vehicle on standby to replace it.