Since becoming a professional guide in 2010, Raphael Rotiken (aka Raffy) has dreamed of one day owning his own freelance safari guiding company. During June of 2024, Raffy was working on a private reserve when he guided for a couple that had booked a safari trip for their honeymoon. Megan and Jay are both from Massachusetts and avid wildlife enthusiasts. Over the course of the week spending time in the Safari vehicle, it was clear that the connection and friendship they had created extended beyond the doors of the Land Cruiser. Raffy continued to impress as he would consistently spot rare animals, quickly track down the elusive cheetah or leopard, or offer an immense wealth of local knowledge from the history of the lands down to the importance of a particular plant in the entire ecosystem. After Megan and Jay returned to the USA they kept in touch with Raffy frequently. When Raffy expressed his dream of one day freelance safari guiding to Jay, they decided that together they could build a successful company to make this dream a reality. With the purchase of his first Land Cruiser in August of 2024, Raffy has officially opened the doors to his dream and is accepting clients for a 100% catered safari experience.

As a freelance Safari guide, Raffy has the opportunity to jump around from camp to camp to cater to individual group needs. Rather than your typical safari expedition, Raffy Guides allows clients to truly customize their Kenyan experience with the guidance of local knowledge as well as travel experience. Whether you want to spend a week on the Mara, take time to explore Nairobi and other local hot spots, or travel between different reserves during your stay, we will cater your trip to maximize your time in Kenya. Ultimately, our goal is simple; Provide our clients with the same high quality safari experiences that we had without the hassle of dealing with international travel logistics. You can choose from some of our pre-set safari experiences or customize your trip to check all your safari boxes! We guide our clients along the way to best prepare for their trip and help with the difficult visa process and each booking receives a custom checklist leading up to the trip so that your group is ready for your experience. The best part is that when you land in Nairobi, Raffy will be there waiting to pick you up and will be your private guide for the entire trip, all the way to the airport drop off.