A new Kenyan startup called Tukio aims to simplify the often confusing and frustrating safari booking process after one of the co-founders, Natalia Cubillos, had a disappointing experience trying to book a family safari trip to Kenya’s famous Masai Mara region.
The Challenges of Booking a Safari in Kenya
Cubillos, a Colombian former executive at the World Bank who moved to Nairobi with her family in early 2022, was eager to explore the Masai Mara destination with her family after living in the city for over a year.
However, after contacting over 20 camps and lodges, she ended up confused by countless emails back and forth and a messy Excel sheet just to understand what each place was offering.
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As Cubillos put it, “I thought there must be an easier way to do this.” Her frustrating experience planning what was meant to be an exciting getaway highlights common issues travelers face when attempting to book safaris in Kenya, from last-minute hotel cancellations to mismatches between advertised and actual facilities once tourists arrive.
Stories of no-show drivers, double bookings, and tour companies overpromising but underdelivering are all too common.
The Launch of Tukio Aims to Simplify Safari Bookings
To help address these problems and simplify the booking process for travelers, Cubillos teamed up with her colleague Marina Cangelaris to launch an online booking platform called Tukio in September 2022.
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On Tukio’s website and mobile app, safari lodges, transportation companies, tour organizers, and activity providers across Kenya can clearly list their offerings and services, including photos, descriptions, reviews, and real-time availability.
Travelers can easily search, compare, and select all parts of their perfect safari trip—from transportation and lodging to guided tours and adventures – add them to their cart, and checkout everything in one seamless transaction.
The model is similar to shopping for a full vacation outfit from different stores conveniently on one e-commerce website. This gives travelers the ability to customize their ideal safari experience while avoiding confusion by booking different components separately.
Global Traveler Joined Forces with Local Expert on Tukio
Cubillos teamed up with Cangelaris, a global Greek entrepreneur well-versed in building and scaling startups internationally. Cangelaris visited the Kenyan coast for a work trip in January 2023 and was captivated by the region’s beauty and potential but also frustrated by the complexities of arranging travel plans.
When Cangelaris returned to Nairobi and joined a local startup accelerator over the summer, she crossed paths with Cubillos, who had intimate, first-hand experience struggling to book a Kenyan vacation after living in the country for over a year.
Combining Cangelaris’ global travel and tech expertise with Cubillos’ local knowledge made for the perfect partnership behind Tukio.
Masai Mara: First Stop with Big Expansion Plans in 2024
As a pilot launch, Tukio is currently focused on helping tourists arrange trips to Kenya’s world-famous Masai Mara National Reserve, home to lions, cheetahs, leopards, and the annual Great Migration.
Even in this popular tourist region, hassles persist trying to securely book camps, transportation and wildlife viewing expeditions.
Tukio now enables travelers to browse Masai Mara lodges ranging from budget tents to luxury retreats and seamlessly add rides, tours and other add-ons into one upfront payment. This provides options for every type of safari traveler while avoiding booking frustrations.
After ironing out any kinks in the Masai Mara, Tukio plans to expand its services to streamline bookings across Kenya’s many other national parks and coastal beach destinations in 2024 and beyond.
With its user-friendly online booking platform, Tukio ultimately aims to provide today’s modern, tech-savvy African adventure seekers with a stress-free way to craft their dream safari vacations.
