Bonfire Adventures
- Located In:
- Size:
- 100-250 employees (Founded in 2010)
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $100 to $550 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Bilhah | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Terribly dissapponted by our agent ,from transport,hotel bookings and check in ,he was just off
We were truly dissappointed on our first experience booking with bonfire to Diani Baobab.
1.Transport -
a)On arrival at Miritini 3am ,we had a pickup challenge ,2 different guys having our contacts ,ready 2 pick us up and confusing us .We couldnt reach our agent for clarification.So frustrating .
b)The one transport means we settled for was so old and uncomfortable.This was after making so many calls with differents guys .
3. Checking in-Upon arrival ,we were not able to be checked in since our agent had not communicated to us that the hotel checkin time is 10am and we couldnt access the all inclusive facility as his early communication until checked in .Mind you we reached the hotel 5am ,only to wait at the reception till 10 am.
Having to pay an extra cost to access breakfast yet we could have done flights and got to the hotel in good time with no challenges .Old parents and kids tired after a long trip in the night .Then wait for long hours to check in.
-Clear communication on checking timings should be passed to clients
-Agent should not rush in closing business
- Agent should confirm about laggages and maximum kgs to br carried per person .Some of us had to pay extra for laggage.
AE
Email kumar | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unprofessional Tour Operator - suspect him of cheating on money
The driver and the guide (not sure if the person was a guide as he did not volunteer with any information or describe any game through the two and a half days) couldn’t have been worse . Took us more than 10 hours to reach Emaiyan Camp from Nairobi , as we were brought in from an inconvenient road - Sekenani Gate is what should have been used , we came through Talek gate (which you must avoid if you are getting to your stay place). As we reached the gate at 5 pm (after starting at 830 am at Nairobi airport - we did breaks of about 60-90 mins total on the way) , the driver took a transit pass - which is free of charge . However , our driver took 100 USD per person (5 of us were there ) - taking money like this is cheating (to me !) .
Emaiyan Camp was great - always out to make you comfortable . And the game sightings were also great - made for a great trip overall , despite bonfire !
Email Augustine | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
My opinion is you better use another travel agency.
It was our first time in dubi and When we arrived we were dropped off at the hotel and left to check in the hotel by ourselves. We had a tour for the day we checked in even though we were extremely tired and ended up missing the tour since noone came to the reception to call us down. They just whatsapp you ( yet the hotels wifi was very slow so we received these messages very late) They only wait for you 20 min and leave you .
The second and third tour guides were really good. Congrats to them. The company only gave us activities for the first two days and left the other 4 unattended. During drop off to the airport on our departure we were left to navigate on our own until we reach our take off gate. Generally won't go with them again. I rather book for myself amd go alone. No difference.
Email Annie | under20 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Horrible
Horrible experience flight got delayed 9 hours zero communication before hand even send us a driver to the airport knowing our flight was cancelled DO NOT RECOMMENDED
Email Andy | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Bonfire Adventures support scammers
Visit Masai Mara, but NOT with Bonfire Adventures.
DRIVER/GUIDE TOOK THE TICKET MONEY FOR HIMSELF.
I ordered 3 days safari in the private car during my few days stay in Kenya with pickup from Nairobi. On the 1st day driver/guide stopped the car at a certain distance before the park entry gate and informed me that the entry fee can only be paid in cash. He mentioned that card terminal is broken and Bonfire should inform me about it. When I proposed we can go together and buy tickets he said someone should stay with the car. When he was back, I asked for the ticket and… surprise another failure, ticked machine is broken and that I will get the ticked on the exit two days later. When I messaged bonfire office asking if this is normal, I only get the info that they will check this and that was the end of communication. Two days later at exit I asked to stop at the gate to ‘take some photos’. I asked at the counter about card payment and the clerk told me ‘it’s working all the time, every day’. When I confronted back the driver he said that clerk is lying and he promised me the ticked when we will arrive back to my hotel. At the end he was trying to give me a ticked with someone else’s name on it and with the date from previous month. Clear scam were driver keeps entry fee for himself and no ticked is issued.
3 DAY RIDE IS ACTUALLY ONE DAY RIDE. POOR CAR CONDITION
Itinerary is more or less like this. First and last day is ¬6h drive from and to Nairobi. Rest of the time should be the game ride.
What I get in reality was 2h ride on day 1 and full day ride on day 2. Day 3 was just rush ride to the gate without even opening the roof. I can say only day 2 was game drive however the driver didn’t even know how to use 4x4 (other guides were trying to explain this to him) and therefore we lost some time rolling in the mud and taking d-tours. Car also had several issues, engine was going out frequently, wipers were not working, driver had to stop and use bottled water to clean window, overall problem with electric, no radio and antena. On top of that Day 3 was real failure, driver proposed we will first take breakfast in the lodge and then do the game ride. What really happen after breakfast we rushed to the exit without even opening the roof, it took 25 min maximum. There was no game ride on that day. On the way to Nairobi, driver almost killed a pedestrian because he was overtaking other cars using roadside!
BONFIRE OFFICE COVERING THE SCAM
After my return I escalated all above concerns to the bonfire office, only after several emails I got response that they will reimburse half of the entry ticket price, less than 5% of total price. Till today after 4 months I didn’t get any refund, all I was getting for the first month were excuses that I have to have local bank account or that driver can bring cash to the hotel (they know I’m a tourist and not leaving in KE). When I told bonfire they can reimburse the same way as I paid, this is credit card, I got well known response, reimbursement to cred card is broken :D:D:D
Apparently scam with no issuing entry ticket is common, however bonfire supporting this and trying to cover this up is way below any standard. I have all pictures of fake tickets or email exchange with excuses.
Email Melissa | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Liers
Made us pay for things that they never provided. Terrible service. Just do not use them.
Email Neil | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
This company is a Cheat and tries to scam people of their money.
It does not deliver on the packages it advertises.
Email Lissy | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
They are terrible. Very poor customer service.
They promise a lot but deliver nothing. What was meant to be a guide was just a rude semi illiterate driver who had no clue about what a guides role is, never mind that we had been promised that we would have the services of an 'experienced tour guide'. Poor customer experience. You do not get value for money. They are big on brand, but zero content.
DE
Email Christine | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Bad service
Service poor, tried to follow up told me they can only refund 60 dollars ,till yet no refund just apologises I been following up .never will I spent my money on them again .try at your own risk ,
Email Leonardo Dias and Brenda Wanjiku | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Horrible
STAY AWAY!!!
We were soooo unlucky to have come to this place. The employee who was “helping” us seems very sure about all our requirements and gave us the package that we wanted. However, as soon we’ve started our journey lots of issues started to take place. We didn’t get what was promised in both hotels we’ve stayed in. The safari didn’t include the park fees, which we were not told about and the list goes on...
They were not helpful at all when we contacted them about the issues and in the end it spoiled our trip.
The driver was really good (Philip) but other than that it was a real disgrace.
They should be ashamed