Our tour vans for hire in Kenya are all 4-wheel drive. That single fact separates them from most tour vans on hire in Kenya, and it is why we can take you into the Masai Mara in any month of the year.
A tour van is a Toyota Hiace rebuilt for game viewing. We convert ours specifically for safari work, so nothing about them is a compromise. Each one seats 8 passengers plus your guide, with a pop-up roof, reclining seats and charging points on board. Rates start at KES 20,000 per day, fuel included.
Call or WhatsApp us on +254 712 004 003. Or send your dates and destination, and we will come back with a fixed quote within 20 minutes.
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What Makes a Tour Van Different from an Ordinary Van?
The pop-up roof is the obvious difference. It lifts on struts, so you can stand upright inside and photograph a full 360 degrees. It also shades the cabin while raised, which matters a great deal at midday in Tsavo or Amboseli.
Inside, our tour vans carry reclining seats with safety belts and enough space that every passenger has a clear view of the animals. Nobody leans across a neighbour for a photograph. Each van also has a cool box, charging points for cameras and phones, and a VHF radio.
The radio is the quiet advantage. Our guides use it to share live sightings with other guides inside the park, so you reach the lion while it is still there.
A standard 14-seater has none of this. It is a road vehicle. A tour van is a game viewing vehicle that also travels well on the road.
4-Wheel Drive, Every Van, Every Season
Most tour vans in Kenya are two-wheel drive. They manage in the dry months, then struggle badly once the black cotton soil turns after rain. Guests get stuck, miss sightings and lose half a day waiting for recovery.
Ours are built differently. Every tour van in our fleet is a purpose-made four-wheel drive conversion. As a result, we run Masai Mara game drives right through the year, including the long rains in April and May.
One honest note. Our 14-seater vans are two-wheel drive and suited to tarmac. If your itinerary goes inside a park, book a tour van or a Land Cruiser instead. We will tell you which you need before you pay, not after.
Tour Van Hire Prices in Kenya
Tour van hire in Kenya starts at KES 20,000 per day, including fuel and a professional KPSGA certified driver-guide. During the July and August peak, the rate is KES 22,000 per day.
| Vehicle | Passengers | Low season | Peak season | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Hiace Tour Van (4×4) | 8 + guide | KES 20,000 / day | KES 22,000 / day | Game drives, photography, small group safaris |
| Toyota Land Cruiser Safari Van | 7 + guide | KES 30,000 / day | KES 35,000 / day | Remote parks, rough terrain, premium safaris |
During the July and August peak, we book tour vans on a minimum 3-day package. Most guests travelling in those months are heading to the Masai Mara, and three days is the shortest trip that makes the journey worthwhile.
What the rate includes
Fuel- A KPSGA certified driver-guide
- KWS vehicle charges, currently KES 1,500 per day for a 6 to 12 seat safari vehicle
- Driver accommodation and meals on overnight trips
- Unlimited game drive mileage inside the park
- Cool box and drinking water on board
- Charging points for cameras and phones
What is charged separately
- Guests’ park entry fees, which depend on the park and your residency status
- Accommodation, meals and optional activities such as balloon rides
Every one of these figures appears on your quote before you commit. You will not meet a charge at the gate that we did not warn you about.
How Park Fees Work on a Three-Day Safari.
Park fees are the highest single cost on a Kenyan safari, so it is worth understanding how they are actually charged before you budget.
For example, take a standard 3-day trip to the Masai Mara, Amboseli, Tsavo or Samburu. Day one is the drive from Nairobi, with an afternoon arrival. Day two is your full day of game drives inside the reserve. Day three, you travel back to Nairobi.
Most lodges and camps sit just outside the park gates. So on the final morning there is often no reason to re-enter and pay another full day of conservation fees. You have already covered the main circuits, including the migration crossing points, and your guide can head straight for Nairobi instead.
We plan itineraries this way as standard and show the exact fee total on your quote. When you compare quotes elsewhere, ask how many days of park fees are included. The difference over three days is substantial.
Tour Van or Land Cruiser Safari Van?
Both are four-wheel drive, and both have pop-up roofs, so the choice comes down to terrain, group size and budget.
The tour van takes eight passengers, costs less and rides more smoothly on tarmac. That suits mixed itineraries with long road transfers, such as Nairobi to Amboseli or a Mara trip with a coast extension.
The Land Cruiser takes seven and has higher ground clearance with a tougher chassis. It earns its price in Samburu, in remote Tsavo and in the deeper Mara conservancies where the tracks stay rough all year.
Tell us your route and we will recommend one. Because we operate both, we have nothing to gain from putting you in the wrong vehicle.
Your Driver Is a KPSGA Certified Guide
Every tour van comes with a driver-guide who holds certification from the Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association, at bronze, silver or gold level depending on the guide.
KPSGA is Kenya’s recognised guiding standard. Earning it means passing an examination in wildlife, birdlife, ecology and guest safety, so a certified guide is doing far more than driving to wherever the other vehicles are parked.
In practice this is what you notice. Your guide reads animal behaviour and anticipates movement. They know where the cats were resting yesterday. They use the VHF radio to trade live sightings with other guides. And they position the van so the light falls correctly for your camera.
Tour vans operate under Tourist Service Vehicle licensing, so self-drive is not offered in this class. If you would rather drive yourself, our Prado and crossover models are available on self-drive from KES 7,000 per day.
Licensed, Inspected and Accountable
Our tour vans are registered as Tourist Service Vehicles rather than ordinary passenger vans. That classification is issued and monitored by the government, and it carries obligations most hire companies never take on.
Bamm Tours holds Tourism Regulatory Authority licensing. Our guides are TRA vetted and carry the correct driving licence class. Every vehicle passes NTSA inspection and carries comprehensive insurance covering all passengers.
You are welcome to ask for any of this before you travel. We would rather you checked than wondered.
Cross-Border Safaris in East Africa
We run road transfers across East Africa, into Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda. Tarmac travel across the borders is straightforward, and we handle the permits and paperwork.
There is one limitation worth knowing early. Tanzanian regulations do not permit Kenyan-registered tour vans to conduct game drives inside Tanzanian parks. So for a Serengeti or Ngorongoro leg, we drive you to the border and hand you to our vetted Tanzanian partner, who runs the game drives on their side. Your Kenyan legs stay with us throughout.
We would rather explain this now than have you discover it at the border. Please allow at least two weeks’ notice for any cross-border itinerary.
We Can Book Your Lodges Too
Arranging the vehicle is often only half the planning. We also book accommodation, from budget camps to premium lodges, across the Masai Mara, Amboseli, Samburu, Tsavo and beyond.
Our sister company, Bamm Safaris, handles the lodge and camp side while Bamm Tours concentrates on transport. Between the two, your vehicle, your guide and your beds can be arranged in a single conversation with one team.
Tell us where you want to go and roughly what you want to spend. We will put the whole thing together.
Where We Supply Tour Vans
You can start your safari from any of our offices in Nairobi, Mombasa, Diani, Nakuru, Eldoret and Nanyuki. We also have a desk at JKIA Terminal 2 for guests arriving on international flights.
This matters more than it sounds. If a vehicle develops a fault upcountry, we dispatch a replacement from the nearest branch rather than from Nairobi. That is the practical value of six offices instead of one.
Book Your Tour Van for hire in Kenya.
Tell us your park, your dates and your group size. We will send a full quote covering the vehicle, park fees, accommodation if you need it, and any extras, within 20 minutes during business hours.
Call or WhatsApp +254 712004003, 0754 004 003 or 0743 142 615. Email us [email protected]
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Frequently asked Questions About Tour Van For Hire in Kenya with Bamm Tours
What is a tour van and how is it different from a normal van?
A tour van is a Toyota Hiace converted for game viewing. The key difference is the pop-up roof, which lifts so you can stand and photograph in every direction. Tour vans also carry reclining seats with belts, a VHF radio, a cool box and charging points. Ours go one step further, because every one is a four-wheel drive conversion. A regular 14-seater has none of this.
How many people does a tour van seat?
Our tour vans seat eight passengers plus the KPSGA certified driver-guide, so nine people travel in total. There is enough space that everybody has a clear view of the animals, which matters when you are photographing. For larger groups we run multiple vans or move you to a 22-seater.
How much does it cost to hire a tour van in Kenya?
Tour van hire costs KES 20,000 per day in low season and KES 22,000 per day during the July and August peak, including fuel and a professional driver-guide. Park entry fees and KWS vehicle charges are billed separately. We quote a fixed, all-inclusive figure before you book, so nothing surprises you at the gate.
Is there a minimum booking during peak season?
Yes. In July and August we book tour vans on a minimum three-day package. Most guests travelling then are heading to the Masai Mara, and three days is the shortest trip that makes the journey worthwhile. Outside those months we take shorter bookings.
Can a tour van go into the Masai Mara?
Yes, all year round. Every tour van in our fleet is four-wheel drive, so we run Mara game drives even during the long rains in April and May, when two-wheel drive vans struggle on wet black cotton soil. This is not true of every operator, so it is worth asking before you book anywhere.
Is the tour van four-wheel drive?
Yes. Every tour van we hire out is a purpose-built 4×4 conversion, not a road van with safari branding. Our 14-seater vans, by contrast, are two-wheel drive and intended for tarmac. If your route goes inside a park, take the tour van.
Tour van or Land Cruiser safari van, which should I choose?
Both are 4×4 with pop-up roofs. The tour van takes eight passengers, costs less and is more comfortable on long tarmac transfers. The Land Cruiser takes seven, has higher clearance and suits Samburu, remote Tsavo and rough conservancy tracks. Send us your itinerary and we will recommend the right one.
How many days of park fees will I pay on a three-day safari?
Usually two rather than three. On a typical three-day safari, day one is the drive from Nairobi with an afternoon park entry, day two is your full game drive day, and day three is the return journey. Because most lodges sit outside the gates, there is often no need to re-enter and pay again on your final morning. We plan it this way and itemise the exact total on your quote.
Are your drivers qualified guides?
Yes. Every tour van driver holds KPSGA certification at bronze, silver or gold level. That means examination in wildlife, birdlife, ecology and guest safety. They interpret animal behaviour, use VHF radio to track live sightings with other guides, and position the vehicle for your camera angle and the light.
Are your vehicles licensed for tourism?
Yes. Our tour vans are registered Tourist Service Vehicles under Tourism Regulatory Authority licensing, our guides are TRA vetted, and every vehicle passes NTSA inspection with comprehensive passenger insurance. We are happy to show you the documentation before you travel.
Does the tour van have a pop-up roof?
Yes. It lifts on struts, gives full standing height inside, and provides shade while raised. This is the feature that makes a tour van worth hiring over an ordinary van.
Can I charge my camera and phone in the vehicle?
Yes. Every tour van has charging points and carries a cool box with drinking water. Let us know if you need extra power for drones or professional camera batteries.
Can I self-drive a tour van?
No. Tour vans operate under Tourist Service Vehicle licensing, which requires a licensed tour driver. In practice this works in your favour, because our guides spot wildlife you would drive straight past. For self-drive we recommend a Prado or a crossover from our self-drive fleet, available from KES 7,000 per day.
How much luggage fits in a tour van?
With eight passengers aboard, expect room for around eight soft bags or five to six medium suitcases. Soft bags pack far better than hard cases in a tour van. If you are carrying camera equipment, tell us at booking so we allocate the space.
Can I take a tour van to Tanzania, Uganda or Rwanda?
We run road transfers into all three. There is one limitation in Tanzania, where regulations do not allow Kenyan-registered tour vans to conduct game drives inside the parks. For a Serengeti or Ngorongoro leg we drive you to the border and hand you to our vetted Tanzanian partner, who runs the game drives there. Please allow at least two weeks’ notice for cross-border trips.
Can you book my lodges as well as the vehicle?
Yes. Through our sister company, Bamm Safaris, we book accommodation from budget camps to premium lodges across the Masai Mara, Amboseli, Samburu, Tsavo and elsewhere. Tell us your destination and budget, and we will arrange the vehicle, the guide and the beds together.
How far in advance should I book a tour van?
Book two to three weeks ahead for the July and August peak and for the December holidays, since tour vans are our most requested safari vehicle. A few days is usually enough during the green season.
Can I hire a tour van from Mombasa or Nakuru instead of Nairobi?
Yes. We supply tour vans from Nairobi, Mombasa, Diani, Nakuru, Eldoret and Nanyuki. Your safari does not have to start in Nairobi, which saves you a long transfer if you are already at the coast or in the Rift Valley.
