Reviews
FR
Email Aldug | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
NEVER CHOOSE CROCODILE RACERS
Back from a "3 days/2 nights" in the Mara, we were wondering if it was normal that:
- when we ask us be ready at 7 am to be picked up by our driver in Nairobi, we leave Nairobi at 10am, after 3 different places waiting for something we don't want to explain to us,
- when we are supposed to be maximum 8 in our van, we spend the 3 days at 9 pax including a 6-month baby crying, the other people paying 360USD pp (70 less than us) for exactly the same prestation + water included in their package, not in ours (they also told us they were very angry because supposed to be 6 Max in the van for this price...)?
- when we are supposed to arrive "on time for lunch" at Maasai Mara, have a rest and make our 1st game drive around 4pm, we in fact arrived at 4pm at the camp (after an awful lunch in a self service on the road) and entered Maasai Mara at 5.30pm (30 minutes game drive!)
- when it is question of coming back to Nairobi, then, our guide proved us he can be on time: Considering leaving the Maasai Mara, it was impossible to wait a minute more in the camp, whereas making us wait 3 hours on the first morning did not necessitate any explication or excuse...
Crocodile answered they were "very much apologetic on what took place", and "wish you had chosen a private safari".
Obviously, " it is not practical to offer any commercial refund".
If you're planning a trip to Mara or Amboseli, you'd better choose Sun Splash Safaris, you'll get what you pay for (and for really cheaper) with a real organization (been to Amboseli with them).
Reply from Crocodile Racers Adventures
Posted on Oct 1, 2015A. Dugast,
We already responded to your justified complaint. We apologized for the mishaps you experienced as a result of us having sub contracted a 3rd party in the industry by virtue of not having met the required thresh hold warranting CRAL group departure as per our booking terms and conditions (www.crocodileracers.com/bookingtermsandconditions)
To set the record straight,
1. The safari in question was actually subcontracted to a 3rd party for reasons mentioned above. The ground operation from Nairobi to Maasai Mara and back was not actually carried out by Crocodile Racers
2. To address your key point of private vs joining a group safari, it came to us as a surprise that you had envisioned coming hither on a honeymoon basis when you mentioned this aspect on the eve of your safari commencement after landing in Kenya. Had we known this for a fact, we would have strongly advised you against taking a joining safari while on honeymoon.
3. Group dynamics do affect a travelers` experience differently especially if the participants hail from different cultures. We feel bad that you had to endure tardiness from the assigned driver(s) as mentioned in your correspondences.
Since the other participants just like you in your van were being picked from different locations, the unfortunate lateness did occur. This in particular as well as all the other mishaps shouldn't have happened at all.
4. Your referral to us - Mr. V. Feildel has traveled with Crocodile Racers a couple of times accompanied by his family. We wish he could come into the forums you have reviewed us on and state his genuine experiences with Crocodile Racers. He has taken the same budget package to the Maasai Mara on two different occasions in the year 2013 / 2014 respectively. Our very recent engagement with him - V. Feildel was in July this year (2015)
Please see our recent correspondence to this guest (A Dugast).
"Following your recent complaints on your safari to Maasai Mara on the 10th -12th Aug 2015, I am privy to all your correspondence with Carol and I regret that you had to go through all the bad experiences you stated. A client who complains / gives feedback is a valuable one. We do not take you for granted.
Evidently, the safari partner that we handed you to didn’t play its role very well particularly in regards to time keeping. We have worked with the organization on similar instances as yours where we are unable to meet the threshold / minimum number of participants warranting a departure for a set budget (USD 395 in your case) and have had to share resources to ensure that guests travel as scheduled. We again reiterate that your unfortunate encounter was a one off bad experience that you had to go through.
Bearing the above, it is not practical to offer you any commercial refund.
On behalf of Rhino Camp and ourselves, kindly accept our sincere apology"
For Crocodile Racers Adventures & Safaris
Godfrey - Director