Kilimanjaro & Elephants: 3-Day Amboseli & Nairobi Safari

Rustic Nature and Calvin provided us an unbeatable experience

The short version: If you want a hassle-free, very professional, highly educational safari with a connected and very experienced guide, simply book Calvin through Rustic Nature Tours and get the Land Cruiser. The longer version: We found Rustic Nature Tours through Tripadvisor, then spent a lot of time on their website learning about the different tours. We settled on a day in Amboseli and part of a day in Nairobi National Park, including the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, the Giraffe Centre, and the Kobe Tough bead center. On the first day - our trip to Amboseli - Calvin picked us up at our hotel in a very clear and modern Toyota Land Cruiser HAL (a Land Cruiser retrofitted with a reinforced chassis, a pop-up roof, and other safari-appropriate changes) and drove us through the "free-form" Nairobi traffic (if you haven't spent years driving in Nairobi, do not - and i cannot emphasize this enough - start now). Calvin got us safely to Amboseli where he proceeded to have (what seemed to us) a sixth sense about where the interesting animals and birds were, how to position the Land Cruiser to give us the best vantage points for viewing and photographing. We saw elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, Thompson's gazelles, hawks (and many, many other birds), lions, and a bunch of other animals. All along the way, Calvin identified everything we were looking at (and, very patiently, identified them again and again as we would forget or get confused) and explained their role in the Kenyan (and African) ecosystem and cultures. Calvin is University-educated in this, and the breadth and depth of his knowledge is evident. Our second trip was two days later, and was no less amazing than the first trip, but it was much closer to Nairobi - it is about 10km from the middle of the city to the park. Here we saw rhinos, hippos, more zebras, bison, rock hyraxes, crocodiles, ostriches, etc. As in Amboseli, Calvin had incredible sense of where the animals were and how to get his safari truck in just the right position. At the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and the Giraffe Centre Calvin knew how to help us avoid the crowds, get great viewing positions, and make the most of our time in each place. I can't imagine trying to navigate either of those without a guide and get the same experience. You could do it, but it is 100x better with a guide (at least with Calvin). Lastly, the Kobe Tough bead center is an amazing place that helps women in Kenya and it is very lovely - no haggling and absolutely beautiful bead work. It is 100% worth visiting. Rustic Nature Tours handled all of the park registrations and entry fees; all of the entrances were very smooth (at least from my perspectice, I don't know what magic Calvin was working). The combination of Rustic Nature Tours organization and Calvin's extensive knowledge of the Kenya ecosystem, Land Cruisers, and centres to visit made our experience absolutely incredible. You truly cannot go wrong here.

via Tripadvisor

Magical experience

Discovering the giraffe centre, the elephant orphanage, Nairobi park and Amboseli parc with the view on the Kilimandjaro were a unforgettable experience. Kenya exceded all expectations. The one-day trip to Amboseli from Nairobi is a great way to see all of Amboseli's attractions while saving time. We were able to see a lot of elephants and baby elephants up close. A special thank you to the guides Faith and Kelvin 😊 I recommend the Rustic Nature Tour agency !

via Tripadvisor

100% would choose again

I had such an incredible 3 days with Rustic Nature Tours! I was referred to Kelvin by my sister who did just a day tour with him in 2022; I texted him and he planning an amazing experience for me. I had only a short time and Kelvin made sure I made the most of it. He picked me up from the airport and we headed straight to Amboseli Nat Park. Both game drives in the park were so gorgeous. He did an amazing job finding the right spot to sit in the van with to get the best view of the animals, or be able to predict where the animals will cross the road to get some wonderful up-close experiences with some stunning animals. We were graced with seeing a cheetah momma and cubs both at sunset and the next morning. Both experiences were so special. Kelvin allowed me time to truly enjoy the moment and take the photos I wanted without rushing me. After Amboseli I returned to Nairobi and the next day we did a game drive through Nairobi NP, elephant orphanagE, Kobe thought and giraffe center. Just like in Amboseli, Kelvin did an amazing job finding the animals and getting me to great positions to take photos and just enjoy the moment. As a solo female traveller I value a guide that I trust and am comfortable with. Having Kelvin as a guide was like traveling with a friend which made the 3 days extra great. I cannot recommend Rustic Nature Tours enough!! Kelvin, can’t wait for the next trip and I promise to plan for more than 3 days :)

Response from the operator: Dear Chelsea, What a lovely experience you had with Kelvin.With thank you for such a gracious review of your safari with us. We're so glad you had an amazing safari and are always happy and ready to make our guests as comfortable as possible. We appreciate your time, and we hope to see you again soon. Karibu sana rafiki! Thank you,

via Tripadvisor

Classic Itinerary - beyond my expectations

Rustic Nature Tours thoughtfully provided every detail and need for my short 5-day business trip to Nairobi. This was the trip I'd been dreaming of, and it exceeded my expectations. Having a short stay in Nairobi, i had to find the best tour that matches my interests, and in a short while, & to my surprise, i had a superb 3 day adventure. Kelvin and his staff attended to everything! The food is superb, the lodgings are beautiful and comfortable, and the views and animals are breathtaking. Kelvin was quite an expert in spotting lions, rhinos, cheaters & many other wildlife at the Nairobi National Park. He made sure that i got beautiful pictures. Amboseli was magical. The elephants are spectacular & and honestly, kilimanjaro was beautiful. I can't thank kelvin enough. I'll be back for the maasai mara soon. Honestly, it could not have been better. AAAA++++

Response from the operator: Dear Muthui, Thank you so much for your most gracious, kind words. We are grateful for such a stunning review, which only attests to the joy your wholesome experience brought to you on your visit. True, this is indeed a classic itinerary, that ensures you have the chance to see unique but rich touristic circuit in Kenya. As promised, we strive to give nothing but the best possible experiences for our esteemed guests. Professionalism per excellence. Thanks to Kelvin, for giving you an absolutely fantastic safari through this most amazing parks. Truly, we look forward to your next visit to explore more of magical Kenya. Warm and best wishes,

via Tripadvisor