Locally Owned And Guided
Kapolondo Expeditions
- Located In:
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 2009)
- Member Of:
- IATA, TATO, TTB & AMREF FLYING DOCTORS
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $180 to $600 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
IL
Email Tony Fishman | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Don't book with this company, you'll be desappointed
We booked a group tour and paid for it a couple of months in advance. We aggreed with Tony on a particular itinerary that we carefuly planned out, including 4 safari NP, a walking safari, two tracks and a list of specific lodges we wanted.
When we started the tour it slowly became obvious that we were taken on one of the regular itineraries instead of the one we agreed on. Every day we had to argue about the schedule and make Tony change our route. After one such argument we got our walking safary, only to be taken to literaly a sheep-shit full field nowhere near the reservation. It took some more arguing and nerves for us to be taken on a "real" walking safari. Needless to say that most of the lodges were not the ones aggreed upon in advance, though it being the off season I have to say the lodges we stayed in were more or less on the same level. Still frustrating. Our driver guide was more of a driver than a guide, most of the time just driving us around in quiet. To top it all, the jeep was old and in horrific condition. The ceiling leeked water throughout the tour and we had no less than 6 flat tiers, the last 2 happening in the midst of the Serengeti NP with no spares and no cellphone connection. Luckily we were picked up by another tour group, but than spent the entire day at the hotel waiting for our driver guide to fix the car. No need to tell you how expencive a safari day is and how annoying it is to miss one like that. Got to say Tony paid us back half the price for the day, still waiting on the other half.
In short, very frustraiting. All that we agreed on in advance was completely meaningless as far as Tony was concerned. Don't book a tour with him.
Disappointing. Avoid traveling with Kapolondo Expeditions.
I booked and paid well in advance for a 6 day mid range lodge safari. I ended up on a budget group safari.
On arrival late at night at Kilimanjaro airport I was met (thankfully - after reading a few reviews I had been nervous that nobody would be there!) and we begun our drive to Arusha, only for the safari vehicle to break down almost immediately. 21/2 hours later we crawled in to Arusha. The vehicle continued to have problems throughout the safari.
On Safari none of the accomodation had been booked in advance. I only stayed at 1 hotel that was on my itinerary (and it was empty of guests). Tony seemed to find the cheapest accomodation going on the day.
At one point Tony told me that the lodge I had booked was full so given that the owners of this lodge owned another accomodation in the local area I would go there. In turn I went to the lodge to ask them about their hotel being full. Turns out both were lies. The lodge was by no means full and the lodge did not own another hotel nearby.
We had to wait for several hours at Serengeti National Park and also Tarangire National Park as the company credit card did not have enough funds to cover the entry fees. Tony finally added funds but with a lengthy and irritating delay. Time spent hanging around at the entrance, watching all the other safari vehicles heading in to the parks was not particularly fun!
The only positive for which I am very thankful is that our driver Bruno (freelance driver) took great care to make sure we saw some amazing sights. He was a fabulous driver, knows the parks very well, taught us about the animals and made sure our journey was as magical as possible.
I have since written to Tony asking for a refund for the sub standard accomodation and the time wasting. He's not particularly repsponsive and when he does he makes up things.
I think the bottom line is, the guy doesn't seem to care. The company has such potential to be a very successful business but the way it is currently being managed, I don't believe it will last much longer.
Do yourself a favour and choose one of the many reputable safari companies, to avoid the stress and worry we had to deal with on the journey.
Happy Safari.
Email baburao | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Be aware of Tony Kopolondo, a professional liar and cheater.
After good reviews on Internet, I contacted Tony Kopolondo in July 2015 and booked the 15-day Kenya and Tanzania safari tour. I transferred 50% of the tour cost to his bank account in Tanzania on July 11, 2015. The original tour departure date was June 22, 2016.
I sent my flight details in May 2016, one month before the tour schedule date and asked Tony to send me the link for paying the balance money by credit card. He informed me that the tour was postponed to August 14, 2016 as other members of the tour postponed it. I reluctantly agreed to the new date after getting assurance from Tony that the tour would be 100% guaranteed, I paid the balance money on July 19, 2016 by credit card.
On August 10, 2016 I sent an email to Tony asking about the tour arrangements including who would be coming to the airport to pick me up. Immediately, he responded saying that the tour was cancelled as one of the members of the other team passed away. I was very disappointed and lost faith in Tony and asked him to refund the money.
Tony Kopolondo has not given the refund even after 7 weeks of the trip cancellation. After repeated follow up, Tony informed me that the money was electronically transferred to my account on September 16, 2016. Even after repeated requests for a copy of the bank transfer receipt, Tony did not provide it and stopped responding to my emails. Tony lied to me about the money transfer without actually transferring it. He cheated me and I lost US$5000. I want everyone to know the true colour of Tony. Please don’t do the same mistake and book any safari tour with Kopolondo Expeditions.
Baburao, Perth, Australia – October 11, 2016
Reply from Kapolondo Expeditions
Posted on Dec 10, 2016Dear Baburao
Apologies for the problems happened, booking a joining group safari theres lot of complications when it happens other joiners cancel the tour, we did our best to find you another group that you can join but we couldnt, this is why we refunded you 100%
We feel this is not a fair of you to review us negative while you have received your refund
However we will continue delivering the best service to our esteemed clients who are ready to use us
Again Our sincerely apologize for the problem happened
Sincerely,
Kapolondo Expeditions Team
CA
Email Michelle | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very Corrupt
We were completely taken advantage of by Tony of Kapolondo Expeditions. We inquired through this website for a 5 day safari. We were responded to promptly and given a quote for a private tour for two persons. We paid ahead of time and thought everything was fine until Tony picked us up from where we were staying and took us to a supermarket to get in the jeep. There were 3 other people in the jeep. When I told Tony that he had booked us on a private tour, he said there must have been some confusion. I didn't have the emails printed with me then so I told him we would have to look at it and fix it. What I didn't know then either was that I was being sent with a different company 'Sandlot Tours' and we would never see Tony again. I thought we would be able to work it out with him along the way. I have all the proof that says I booked a private tour and was charged for one. I also have the proof of payment from the other people on the tour who paid half the price we did. I had our guide get a hold of Tony who said that he would sort it out when we got back. He was supposed to transport us back to our hotel at the end as per his agreement with Sandlot Tours (which we didn't know), but he didn't show up and we were stranded in Arusha and had to find our own way back. I believe he didn't want to come meet us because I would have help him to his mistake. He will not respond to any emails I send him now even though he was very prompt before the tour. I just want the difference in money back. At first I thought he had just made an honest mistake and would fix it when he had the chance, but now I realize that he is very corrupt. I had an good time on the safari, we saw lots of wildlife, but we were definitely on the most budget tour I saw and if I paid the same as the other people I would be very happy. As it stands, I feel completely taken advantage of and I can't believe that safari bookings works with such a corrupt company!
AE
Email Mohammad | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Tony Kapolondo is a fraud
We had a horrible time with this tour operator. A friend and I booked with him for our first safari, planning to see Tanzania’s wildlife in mid-luxury lodges. We also paid him upfront for a hot air balloon tour over the Serengeti.
When we arrived, we were a bit surprised at the status of the car, as we expected a more modern vehicle. The next morning, we were told that we will not be staying in the lodges we planned to stay in according to our itinerary; instead he booked us sub-par lodges for less money, including a two night stay in a tented camp outside Serengeti instead of Serena and Lobo as we originally paid him. He also informed us that the hot air balloon, which we paid USD 550 each for, is not likely to happen. His excuse was that since we changed flights by arriving a day earlier (we informed him of the change 2.5 weeks before our departure, and paid him in full a week prior to that) then it made the accommodations and balloon tour very difficult. Prior to our departure, however, he told me that all the bookings for hotels are done, implying it was based on the original itinerary.
We later discovered that there were no bookings. The first place we were to stay in instead of Flamingo Lodge was not paid for and so we ended up staying in a tiny room with problems with hot water and wifi. Tony did not answer me when I asked him that night on the reason why our ‘big room’ was booked already, even though he supposedly confirmed the bookings beforehand. After that, we moved to Serengeti where Tony told us the tented camp we’d be staying in would be “luxury”. We ended up staying in a tent with no hot water, and no wifi, either. We had serious issues that day, as he told us one thing and gave us something completely opposite. We paid Tony good money expecting a service and accommodation based on what we agreed, but that has not been provided.
All his excuses turned out to be false. On the night before we were supposed to go to Rhino Lodge for Ngorongoro, the driver informed us that Tony told him we’re staying in Karatu, instead. He also told him that we’ll do a short drive in Ngorongoro on our way out of Serengeti stating that there is no availability in Rhino Lodge. At this point we were sick of his lies, so we contacted Rhino Lodge ourselves and found there’s a room available. We informed him of this, and lo and behold, Kapolondo miraculously ‘found’ availability and booked a room for us.
Before we move on to the rest of the tale, before our departure, my friend found a balloon company in Serengeti and contacted them regarding Kapolondo booking. We were informed that there’s no booking in that name. Tony told us he booked with a different company. At the time, we trusted him, unfortunately. When we arrived in Serengeti, we contacted the other balloon operator (there are only two), and they informed by phone and email that there are no booking under Kapolondo name. Tony told us, bizarrely, that he booked under a different name.
His lies continued and he wanted to charge us for the last night in Mvuli lodge, even though it was already included in the itinerary, and he tried to get out of arranging us transfers to the airport. After talking to him, he finally relented and agreed to give us what we already paid him to do. There was no booking, and he had to transfer money after we talked to him.
Tony decided not to hold himself to any of the agreed upon itinerary we paid him to do, and instead he wanted to keep our money to himself without regards to our agreement or the fact that we honored our part and paid him in full well in advance. He claimed he will provide copies of vouchers on the original itinerary, including the supposed balloon tour when we arrived in Arusha, but that turned out to be another lie as we didn’t even see him on our last day. He is a fraud and you should avoid him at all costs.
Reply from Kapolondo Expeditions
Posted on Nov 2, 2016Dear Mohammed,
We are very sorry for the problem happened, i hope you understand this was never Kapolondo Expeditions fault that you changed your arrival date on the last minute that led to all the changes of accommodations and other arrangements, we did our best to make sure you get all the accommodations of the same level and upgardes.
We recommend for clients to book their international flights before booking the tour
Best
Kapolondo Expeditions Team
NE
Email Sophie | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Kapolondo is a swindler, he took our money for a luxury safari, but we had budget and unsafe safari
We bought a luxury safari, especially because we travelled with a 9 month baby. We needed security and comfort.
But, instead, we had to stay in budget lodge (We paid 4720 USD per person). When we told him we were angry, he did nothing. During all the safari, he didn't respect his contract, he never informs us in advance of change. If he was correct, if an hotel is full, he could inform us and propose us another choice, with eventually another price. We saw Kapolondo himself at the beginning of the tour and he did'nt inform us of the change, even for the first night. He is coward. He made on our back about 100 to 500 USD by night for 4 nights he made a change.
Worst the car wasn't safe, a wire caught fire, we had to stop in emergency but there was not hand brake, we had to run to stop the car with a stone and to put out the fire. We travelled with a 9-month baby...
At the end of the trip, we asked him for an amical settlement. He accepted it and asked us to send an email. we did it, but he never answers.
He didn't organise our trip, the guide didn't know the program. We had to wait 2 hours before entering Segerenti park (while the other cars waiting 30 minutes) because he didn't book the hotel the day before. We did not visit some part of the program.
He didn't inform us that we have 5% visa charge before we paid. But, it's a legal obligation, he must inform the customer before the payment! He didn’t inform us that we have to paid for the luggage for each internal flight, about 100 USD more for the 3 flights.
We will file a complaint against him in court.
Reply from Kapolondo Expeditions
Posted on Nov 2, 2016Dear Sophie
We are astonished to read this review, we had informed you on arrival regarding on the changed and upgrades of the lodges and we all agreed when we met in Arusha and after the tour when you were flying to Zanzibar you mentioned safaris was great and you were satisfied with the accommodation upgraded
Regarding on the safari vehicle we have grounded the said vehicle not to be used for safari and we have replaced with other 5 new safari vehicles
Now we have learned to ask our clients to write safari report I.expect questionaire forms to be filled after the tour to avoid such problems
We will keep on delivery exceptional service to our clients who are ready to use us
Regards
Kapolondo Expeditions Team
AE
Email Sam | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Disappointed and let down!
My partner and I saw the itinerary for the 11 day exclusive safari in Tanzania&Zanzibar and thought it to be exactly what we were looking for. After confirmations and having our queries answered by the tour operator Tony, we went ahead and booked.
On the day we arrived, after having met our tour guide and Tony, we are told that the agenda for the week has been changed slightly. Reluctantly, we agree since there's nothing we could do at that point. The trip goes ahead just fine and we were meant to be on safari for 5 days spending 2 nights in one lodge/camp 2 nights in another and the last night in another. We in fact ended up staying in different lodges every night of our 5 nights there and were not told that this would be happening until when we were dropped off and told to pack our things for the next morning since we would not be staying here tonight. Completely unsettled for us to have to jump from lodge to lodge every night. We didn't know where we were going to be staying the following night, it was incredibly hard for us to relax comfortably and just enjoy the trip fully.
The itinerary included a trip to a museum and a visit to a Masai village. The Museum was completely scrapped from the list and for the Masai village, we were told that we had to pay an additional $50 each!! After having confronted our guide about this, he too was not aware that we were even meant to be going to these places! It's as though they were trying their luck to see what they could get away with not paying or doing. After putting our foot down and talking to Tony, he arranged for these two visits to take place but we shouldn't have had to have that conversation in the first place.
Lastly, the next leg of our trip was 5 days in Zanzibar. Before booking, we asked Tony if the package was inclusive of all meals and alcohol, he confidently responded yes that the alcohol was also apart of the package. We get to our resort in Zanzibar only to find that in fact he misled us and alcohol was not included in our reservation and so we had to pay for this out of our own pockets.
We were very disappointed and let down by Tony and this company. All communication had seemed to be thrown about of the window, not only were we not informed about changes etc, our tour guide was also sometimes in the dark about things that was meant to be communicated to him by Tony. Nothing at all about this trip was what we expected it to be, I don't think it was worth the money we paid for it, it wasn't a luxury tour like it stated and would recommend anyone against them to avoid such disappointment.
Trek to Kilimanjaro;change of plans; poor decisions;no real interest in clients;unsatisfactory; bad
Not what expected; "ladies group"? I was told on the day "just you" but luckily one more lady otherwise me at 75 and 7 or 8 local men. Route changed for doubtful reason . Staying at Kibo Hut for 2 cold nights a bad decision. No breakfast and a few dry biscuits, peanuts after a 5 hour climb, starting at 5am. Should have been 4 am but guides overslept. Could have reached final summit easily with a good group. Physically fit, no altitude problems just terribly hungry. I am quite small. A fuss at the hotel over security of items left "in Storage". A plan to drive 2 more hours was changed by me. Trauma in Arusha when Tony attacked a man.
Disappointing, Scary and terrible service
I did a very disappointing 6 day trekking trip with Kapolondo. I was told i would be trekking Rongai route and will be doing camping at nights. But after landing in Tanzania, Tony the owner of the tour tells me that route is changed its marangu and no camping we will be staying in huts. I was shocked! After arranging everything and paying money upfront, they changed the plans without even consulting me. He also asked for a 250 dollar for porter tips when i confronted that since we are using tents and not camping he said i am mistaken and he meant 250,000 shillings.
The guide failed to wake up on the day of the summit and didnt give us any food when we started. We have good reason in believing that he was drunk most of the time. On reaching back, my climbing partner had to witness Tony beating and punching a guide who was just talking to her.
Couple of other people like our assistant guide david and another guide Mike was who assisted us with airport transfer and Arusha town sightseeing was really good. But on the whole the trip was just disappointing.
Reply from Kapolondo Expeditions
Posted on Apr 12, 2016Dear Anjana& Sue
We apologies for the problems accourred , i believe our office in Denmark contacted you before arrival regarding on the change of the route, we understand this was your first mountain experience and we had to take a good care of your safety and this is our Priority to our esteemed clients.
On the day on to the summit which it was at the middle of the night, its normally not provied full meals and its offered light foods.When we met after the Kili tour you could have said all the complains to us and we could have found the best way to compansate the problems accourred
During our meeting on 10th March we decided to suspend Maximilian who was your guide for 3 months punishment .
Again we apologies for the problems and we promise this will NEVER happen
Sincerely
Kapolondo Expeditions Team
SG
Email Kim | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Book at your risk
I booked and paid for a 15-day joint safari with Kapalondo Expeditions based on an itinerary and cost proposal received from them. Two days prior to my departure, I was advised that the the other members of the joint safari had cancelled, and that my itinerary would change. I did not agree to the revised itinerary, and requested to stick with the original itinerary or receive a refund. The night before my departure, Kapolondo Expeditions agreed to run the original itinerary at the original cost, with two accommodation changes. However, subsequent to my arrival in Africa, further changes were made to my itinerary (one destination was completely cut out) and my accommodation (downgraded from luxury to mid-range or budget) without my notice or consent. There were days during my safari when I did not know where I would be staying that night or in 2-3 nights' time, which was highly unsettling. Whilst I understand the economics of the situation (a joint safari effectively became a private tour, although at no fault of mine), it was handled completely unprofessionally, and at no time were efforts made to respond to/address my concerns or give me any options to change/upgrade my accommodation (even at extra cost). In addition, Kapalondo claims on their website to be a member of the Tanzanian Association of Tourism Operators (TATO), but when I called TATO to seek help during my safari, I was advised that they are not a member (you can verify for yourself on the TATO website). All of this trouble aside, the game drives were excellent and my drivers in Kenya and Tanzania were informative, friendly, helpful and made every effort to turn an unpleasant situation into a positive one. My safari would have been perfect, if not for the complete unprofessionalism of the operator. Based on this experience, I cannot recommend Kapalondo Expeditions.