Owned and managed by Magda Vrijs and Edward Mollel
Flash Safaris and Photography
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2005)
- Member Of:
- TATO & TTB
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $250 to $950 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
NL
Email Ben & Nicolette | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Our Time in Tanzania was amazing. We have seen a lot of animals (big five) during our safari.
Magda arranged our trip excellent. We took the Safari Northern Circuit & Zanzibar. We have seen a lot of beautiful parks. Specially thanks to our driver Adam who knows the Serengeti and the other parks very well. And he is an excellent driver and knows a lot about nature. All dinners en overnight stays were great. And every day a surprise. Thanks Flash Safaris for all your services
NL
Email Nicole | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Well organized safari with good quality accommodations and professional guides
My husband and I booked the first part of our honeymoon (9 days safari through Northern Tanzania) with Flash Safari's. First we were affraid that an organized safari with Flash would be too expensive for us, but luckely Magda really thinks along and helped us to arrange a high quality safari matching our budget.
The safari was very well organized. The hotels (mostly) had a high standard, were clean and served good and varied food. Also we had one of the best guides we ever had during a safari trip. He did his absolute best to find the animals that we really wanted to see and made sure we had the best possible sight. We had a very comfortable and decent car.
Also our additional stay at the Masai Lodge was a highlight of our trip. We would not have chosen that ourselfs, but it was absolutely a experience to remember.
We organized the second part of our trip (Zanzibar-Mafia Island) by ourself. That is something I would recommend other travellers to do as well to reduce the costs of your trip.
We would like to thank Magda and her team for the amazing time and also for the nice extra attentions for our honeymoon. We allready recommended Flash to friends.
PL
Email Leszek, Marcin and family | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Please do not make a mistake of booking your safari with Flash
We recently came back from a safari with Flash. We couldn’t have been more disappointed. Not only their cars are broken, they don’t pay their drivers and they also tried denying obvious problems we experienced during our trip which we have video proof of.
The Car:
4wd drive didn’t work. This caused us and other people to be put in a life-threatening situations when for example the car was sliding down a very steep hill, unable to go up without being pushed up by another car after our driver, Jerry, with help of drivers from other companies tried fixing it with a RUBBER BAND FROM THE ROOF-LOCKING MECHANISM. This wasn’t the only case when someone had to push us. The gears didn’t really work either. Going uphill, on an asphalt road with a speed limit of 80 km/h, their car could reach a maximum speed of 20 km/h, causing massive traffic jams behind us. Going down, we of course were able to reach 80 km/h easily. If that wasn’t enough, the car’s shock absorber broke down on the second day. We know that accidents happen, but during our trip it was mostly Flash cars that we saw broken on the side of the road.
The Unpaid Driver:
On the last day after finishing the safari, our driver dropped us off at our hotel and we were getting ready for a well-deserved sleep. Half an hour later we were shocked to see him knocking at our doors in tears. It turned out that HE DID NOT GET PAID A SINGLE DOLLAR from Flash. That’s disgusting! As he explained, all his money comes from tips. We omitted them, because Flash assured us that everything is already paid for and we were really irritated with our safari on the last day because of continuous problems with the car and Flash’s inability to deliver a quality service.
The Lies:
“Nowadays at most part of our roads there is a speed limit of 50 km per hours and you must have seen all the police control posts. In the parks there is also a maximum speed limit and I want our guides to hold to this as we can lose our permit.” - that’s clearly not what we were talking about. We have video proof of car struggling at 20 km/h on a road with 80 km/h speed limit.
“I asked Jerry about the starting problems, he told me that this did happen once and then some people had to push the car to get it started, there were no other incidents” - It happened numerous times, with the most dangerous incident on a steep hill where another car had to push us. Not only we have a video proof of that, at that time in our car, there were also other Flash clients whose car broke down completely earlier that day.
“Jerry also told us that he never used a rubber to fix or repair the 4WD, you must have taken that wrong.” - again, on that day we were accompanied by other people who have also seen it. Jerry clearly told us that he has a problem with activating 4WD and this rubber would hopefully temporarily solve the issue.
We asked: “Please clarify for me how much was driver paid by your company. We want to understand how big is the tipping part of his total salary. Please confirm that our driver was paid by the company (what was the amount?) and that our tips were only the form of extra bonus for him.”
To which they replied that “Jerry get paid a good salary”.
Well clearly if your driver comes up to our room after safari in tears something is wrong.
“On the way to the crater you indeed met with another car from Flash Safaris, it is very common that guides do help each other. Jerry stopped and you talked with the other clients. Then you asked Jerry to help and to take the clients with you. I really appreciate your gesture in this.” - Just shows how “good with words” Edward, the company’s co-owner tried to be in his emails. Of course, we accepted the other people on board (for the whole day) because your car broke down completely and they were stuck in full sun for few hours with small kids in the middle of nowhere and you didn’t manage to secure a replacement car!
SUMMARY:
4WD not working, problems with gears above 2, car not starting, broken shock-absorber, dishonest management unable to even admit the obvious problems, driver working for 0$ for 5 days in extreme conditions.
If you don’t want this to happen to you, just choose another company.
Reply from Flash Safaris and Photography
Posted on Sep 30, 2019Dear Marcin,
Greetings and thank you for reviewing your safari with us. I am really sorry to hear that your safari was not as per your expectations.
You have been in contact several times with my business partner Edward Mollel, as from the beginning he has had contact with our safari guide Jerry, network allowing. The 4WD safari car is equipped with a GPS tracking system and as explained to you previously , we could cover for lost time , furthermore your guide arranged that you could enjoy maximum time in all the parks to cover for lost time.
It is for sure not our intention to ignore any complaint from you. We thrive to provide our guests an unforgettable safari in our beautiful country hence the fantastic reviews online.
Meanwhile, we have taken steps that in the future this will not happen again, although this is a very common problem that can happen to any company whom are taking guests on safari, nevertheless, It's our strong opinion that we have conducted your safari according to our good standards and once again we do apologize for the inconvenience caused.
Email Sharanya and John | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Easy to work with
We had a great time! Henry was very quick to respond to all our questions for the very beginning, and accommodated all our requests. Communication was easy and this was the main reason we went with FLASH anand they didn't disappoint.
We had no idea what to expect, but certainly the safari itself was amazing.
The tented camps we stayed in were better than expected in the Serengeti.
The safari itself, i think is highly dependent on the guide, their skill and experiencem We had an amazing guide, Kennedy, and that really made the whole safari for us.
We'd definitely recommend FLASH to our friends and family.
Email Gai Wright | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
quick and efficient responses to requests
I made my initial contact with Flash Safaris through Safari Bookings. Once contact was made Henry, the sales rep made a very special effort to answer the very many questions I asked about the Safari, travel, payment, and all possible variations on the tour by phone and messages. He was particularly patient with my requests and demands.
Henry reassured us throughout this process and we ended up with a spectacular tour of Southern Tanzania.
BE
Email Hege Hellstrom | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Again an excellent safari with Flash Safari company
This was my 5th safari arranged by Magda and her team, and once again we had a fantastic experience. This time I took my mother of 80 years old on her first ever safari, and all our needs were taken care of. Our excellent guide, Chui, ensured that we had prime sightings of all the animals, and through his patience and good knowledge of animal behavior we saw not only the "normal" animals but also the rare Caracal and African Wild cat.
The safari vehicle had charging stations and a fridge wich ensured us comfort and convenience. Our guides' good humour also made all the hours in the car very enjoyable. Our wishes were listen to up front and we had a mix of accomodations ranging from safari tents to luxury hotel. At this time of year, Ndutu area is fantastic and we were lucky to see the migration close up. We ended the safari with a few days rest in Africa Amini Maasai Lodge (suggested by Magda) which was a fantastic experience, absolutely recommended.
I will for sure use Flash Safari again on my next safari in Tanzania
MY
Email Adrienne | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great Route & Awesome Guide
We had a great experience booking our honeymoon with Magda. She is very responsive with our communication and ensures the lodgings meet our expectations. Meleck John was our guide and he was very knowledgeable about the animals and birds. He was also familiar with the usual territories of predators given that he has 20 years of experience in the safari industry. Thanks to Magda and Meleck we had an amazing honeymoon for our first trip to Africa!
US
Email Terry | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Flash is an excellent choice for your Safari
My wife and I have used Flash for two Safaris. Magda and company was very professional and trustworthy and delivered more than agreed on. They are experts in accommodations and areas that are a must while on Safari in Tanzania. I love to photograph wildlife and birds. The guides used by Flash and very knowledgeable about what wildlife will be where, when. Flash is also affordable compaired to many company’s fare. You won’t regret using Flash for you Safari.
NL
Email Netty en Wim Polderman | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Professional company with great knowledge of Tanzania and offers excellent equipped lodges.
We have had an overwhelming safari of 11 consecutive days. We visited NP Lake Manyara, NP Central Serengeti, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, NP Tarangire, West Kilimanjaro, where we stayed in a Masai lodge and visited the nearby hospital of 2 Austrian doctors. Schools (boarding) have also been set up on site. The proceeds from the Masai lodge benefit the hospital and schools. Not only at the latter location we were extensively and well informed by the driver / guide of Flash Safaris. This involved all locations that we visited during the safari.
We first met the inhabitants of the village llkiding'a the first day at the foot of Mount Meru. Got a tour through the extensive living and living area and we enjoyed a traditional lunch.
Of course we have been 'on the hunt' for the wild game in the areas. We are very satisfied with this! From the big 5, we have had the lion, buffalo, leopard and elephant up close at hand several times. The guide came very close to the game in all cases. We were also literally in the middle of the annual migration of wildebeests and zebras! What an experience that was. Not to be missed were the beautiful film shots that we were able to make of giraffes, hippos, a pregnant cheetah, hyenas, gazelles, impalas, of course monkeys, a large variety of colorful birds, but also birds of prey. Especially the locations / landscapes at the Masai (view of Mt. Kilimanjaro!), Ndutu / Serengeti and Sangaiwe (NP Tarangire) have left us an indelible impression. The safari has 100% met our expectations, thanks to Flash (Magda and guide Adam). Our great appreciation for that!
NL
Email Ellen Kluytmans | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Magda has put together our journey in such a way that all our wishes are met!
We had a very good guide, Radjabu, with which the communication was super! He knows a lot about wildlife and nature, in which we are optimally interested. He also has a lot of humor and that made it even more fun.
We have had a very varied journey, full of surprises, both in terms of wildlife, the locations, camping etc.
As icing on the cake and also the conclusion of our trip, the Maasai-Lodge, SO surprising and so PURE, great!
THANK YOU Magda, Eduard and Radjabu !!!