Safaris in Africa: Safari Soles Tours Enters Kenya

Kenya is one of the most requested destinations for safaris in Africa, and one of East Africa's best-reviewed operators is now offering it. Safari Soles Tours, the Tanzania-based company with a 5.0/5 rating from more than 2,600 TripAdvisor reviews, has entered the Kenyan market with its own Kenya itineraries, a Kenya office listing and combined Kenya-Tanzania routes. For this article, we looked at the company's published Kenya program alongside independent reviews and opinions found online, including SafariBookings, TripAdvisor, Google and traveler discussions on forums such as Reddit. Among operators offering a safari in Africa's most famous wildlife areas, Safari Soles Tours stands out for the size of its review history, which is why its move into Kenya is worth examining.

Until recently, Safari Soles was a Tanzania specialist. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Arusha, it built its reputation on private trips through the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire and Lake Manyara, with Kilimanjaro climbs and Zanzibar extensions.

The company's Kenya safari program now covers more than 20 parks, reserves and conservancies. The published destinations include the Maasai Mara National Reserve, Amboseli National Park, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, Samburu, Lewa, Ol Pejeta, Laikipia, Tsavo East, Tsavo West and the Chyulu Hills, with beach extensions to Diani, Mombasa and Watamu.

Three itineraries are listed with prices at the time of writing: a 6-Day Kenya Private Migration Safari from $3,018 per person, a 9-Day Kenya & Tanzania Safari from $3,829 per person and an 11-Day Kenya & Tanzania Wildlife Odyssey from $4,923 per person. For first-time visitors, the company recommends a classic 7-day East Africa safari route: Nairobi to Amboseli, on to Lake Naivasha and finishing in the Maasai Mara.

SafariBookings, which lists the operator with 5.0/5 from 607 reviews, now shows offices in Tanzania, Kenya and the United Kingdom, tours in both Kenya and Tanzania, and a staff of 50 to 100 people.

For most travelers, the Maasai Mara is the reason to choose Kenya for a safari in Africa. The reserve is the northern end of the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem, and the wildebeest herds are usually in the Mara from roughly July to October, when river crossings on the Mara River draw the largest crowds of the year.

Outside the migration months, the Mara still has one of the highest densities of lions, cheetahs and leopards in East Africa, and the private conservancies around the reserve allow night drives and walking safaris that are not permitted inside the national reserve itself. Safari Soles' 6-day migration itinerary is timed for the crossing season, while the longer routes work year-round.

Amboseli National Park is the second stop on most Kenya itineraries. It is known for large elephant herds and, on clear mornings, the view of Mount Kilimanjaro across the border in Tanzania. Lake Nakuru is a compact park with black and white rhinos and, depending on water levels, large flocks of flamingos. Lake Naivasha offers boat trips and a walk among giraffes and zebras on Crescent Island, a useful break from long days in a vehicle.

The northern parks add species that do not occur in the south. Samburu is home to the reticulated giraffe, Grevy's zebra, Somali ostrich, beisa oryx and gerenuk, while Ol Pejeta Conservancy on the Laikipia plateau is known for rhino conservation and chimpanzee sanctuary visits. Safari Soles includes all of these in its Kenya program, which allows a longer itinerary to move well beyond the Mara.

Tsavo East and Tsavo West together form one of the largest protected areas in Kenya. They are less crowded than the Mara, known for red-dusted elephants, and conveniently placed between Nairobi and the coast. Travelers who want to end their safari on the beach can combine Tsavo with Diani Beach or Watamu, and Safari Soles lists these coastal extensions as part of its Kenya offering.

The Kenya operation is new, so most of the company's reviews still describe Tanzania. The first Kenya reviews are appearing, however. A September 19, 2026 review on SafariBookings from a traveler from Slovenia states that the group "visited Amboseli, Lake Naivasha and Masai Mara" and describes the trip as "an amazing experience." A traveler on Reddit who used Safari Soles for a two-country itinerary praised both guides for their wildlife knowledge and ability to find animals, and noted that the basic camping option was too simple for some of the group.

The broader review record is what gives the Kenya launch credibility. As of late September 2026, the company has a 5.0/5 rating from 2,609 TripAdvisor reviews, is ranked #5 of 4,950 tours and activities in Arusha, holds a TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice 2026 award and shows more than 500 Google reviews, the large majority five-star. September 2026 reviewers name guides such as Barakae, Simon, Elias and Oscar and describe vehicles that were "comfortable and always clean."

The company publishes five accommodation levels for its Kenya trips, which makes it easier to see what a given budget buys:

• Budget camping: roughly $150 to $300 per person per day.

• Mobile camps: roughly $220 to $400 per person per day.

• Lodge safaris: roughly $300 to $550 per person per day.

• Tented lodges: roughly $480 to $900 per person per day.

• High-end luxury: roughly $850 to $2,500 or more per person per day.

These figures exclude international flights. Park and conservancy fees in Kenya have changed several times in recent years, so travelers should confirm in writing which fees are included in a quotation.

A Kilimanjaro climb, if added after the safari, is priced separately. Safari Soles sells climbs directly and, for Dutch-speaking travelers, through its own Dutch-language site for Kilimanjaro tours, which is worth knowing for anyone planning to cross from Amboseli into Tanzania for the mountain.

Kenya safaris usually begin at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. Most nationalities need Kenya's electronic travel authorization (eTA) before arrival, which is applied for online. Driving distances are long: Nairobi to the Maasai Mara is a five- to six-hour drive, although scheduled flights from Wilson Airport shorten the trip to under an hour.

For combined Kenya-Tanzania itineraries, the road crossing is normally at Namanga between Amboseli and Arusha, or at Isebania between the Mara and the Serengeti. A change of vehicle and guide at the border is standard practice in East Africa, so ask how the handover is organized and whether the same accommodation standard applies on both sides.

Disclaimer: This post is non-commercial and was not written on behalf of anyone from Safari Soles Tours. In addition to the information available online, third parties related to Soles provided some of the information used here.

Who the Kenya Launch Suits Best

The new Kenya program is most useful for three groups: travelers who want the Maasai Mara and the Serengeti in one trip with one operator, first-time safari visitors who want a private vehicle and a choice of budget levels, and travelers who already know the company from a Tanzania trip and want to return for Kenya. Travelers who want a short Kenya-only trip should still compare quotations with Nairobi-based operators.

This article is based on the company's published information and on independent reviews and opinions found online rather than promotional claims. Ratings, prices and traveler experiences can change, so readers should check the newest feedback and the exact details of an itinerary before booking. We simply want to inform our readers and help them choose the right operator for the best possible travel experience.