Uber introduces safari rides to Nairobi National Park

Uber has introduced a new service that lets customers book guided safari trips to Nairobi National Park directly through its app.

Dubbed Uber Safari, the service enables riders to reserve a three-hour day or night safari 2 to 90 days prior.

Customers are picked up in safari vehicles operated by registered tour companies, with each trip including a guide and a three-hour wildlife drive.

The ride-hailing company told Citizen Digital that a day trip costs Ksh.25,000, with the car taking up to seven people. Night safaris, on the other hand, cost Ksh.40,000, and the car takes up to five tourists.

The cost covers the car entry fees into the park, driver charges, and a warden for the night trips. As such, riders still need to pay for their individual park entry fees.

Uber said the move is aimed at tapping into Kenya’s tourism sector, which accounts for about 10.4 percent of GDP and 5.5 percent of formal employment.

It also seeks to provide new income streams for licensed safari operators who can register their vehicles on the company’s platform to tap into Uber's customer base.

“Tourism plays a vital role in Kenya’s economy, and with Uber Safari, we are unlocking new ways for people to connect with wildlife while creating earning opportunities for operators,” Uber General Manager for East Africa, Imran Manji, said.

The product, which comes as the ride-hailing firm marks 10 years in the Kenyan market, is being run in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, Kenya Wildlife Service, the Tourism Regulatory Authority, and local fleet operators.

Online travel booking is on the rise locally, buoyed by increased trust in digital platforms and wider usage of mobile money. Some smaller operators are even leveraging online travel agencies or platforms to distribute and sell their tours and packages.

Uber’s move is the American company’s first foray into wildlife tourism in Kenya, with Nairobi as a pilot location due to the unique proximity of its national park to the capital city.

Uber launched the service in Cape Town, South Africa, in September last year.