Mercury Tours
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2006)
- Tour Types:
- Small & medium group tours (Budget & mid-range)
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $150 to $400 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
DE
Email Natalie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A whole disaster and very terrible experience - watch out with this agency! Not trustful at all
We found Mercury Tours on Safari-Bookings and Ndamungu (tour operator) seemed to be nice and helpful. We were having email contact for about two weeks in which Mercury Tours explained the Program in detail and gave us all information etc. In November 2016 we booked the 7 day safari with him (Selous-Mikumi-Ruahu Safari) to start on January, 1st 2017. We transferred half of the money to Ndamungu in November (1330 Dollar) and agreed to pay the other half directly to the tourguide when the safari would start. Ndamungu confirmed that the tourguide would pick us up at 8.40AM in our Hotel. Well, we were all excited to start the Safari and on January, 1st we waited to be picked up in our hotel reception. Unfortunately, no one from Mercury Tours appeared, so after 30 minutes waiting, we called Ndamungu. He said, that the driver had an "accident" and would come within 20 minutes. Unfortunately, this was not true. We waited for hours, calling Mercury Tours several times and Ndamungu said the guide could come very soon and hung up on us with no more information. So, we ended up waiting for about 4,5 (!) with another disappointment. Ndamungu confirmed in November that our driver would be our guide at the same time and would speak English. The person who picked us up just spoke barely English and had no idea of our program and where to go, so he had to explain him everything. Above all, he forced us to pay him 200 dollar otherwise he wouldn't drive us and explained us the actual guide was waiting for us at the camp. Well, we were very angry at the time, but paid him and hoping that the real guide would actually speak English and we could finally start our safari without more stress and headache. When we arrived at the camp, unfortunately no guide was waiting for us. The driver and Ndamungu explained, the guide would come the next day but this was another lie. The next day, the driver was gone without saying a word, no guide appeared and we were left alone literally in the bush. The people at the camp were really helpful and called Ndamungu serval time, but he just switched off his phone. Nothing was organised, nothing was paid for us. So, we lost 1530 Dollar and didn't receive anything for it. We went for a game drive with another guide but had to pay all by ourselves. Our safari was a whole disaster and tomorrow we are heading to the police and embassy here in Tanzania to report on this. Luckily we have all confirmations made by Ndamungu. So be very careful with Mercury Tours and Ndamungu - they are criminals.
Reply from Mercury Tours
Posted on Jan 7, 2017Sorry for the inconvenience caused.
We have looked into the matter and are in talks with our team as to what went wrong, as we decided to refund you cash in hands your 1330 USD,So we have settled our dispute with you Mss Natelie.
As I told you before our first driver as an accident that why we have been changed you with other driver even if he late for couple of our but final he has managed to fetch you up and to you to Selous,so when you were there you changed your mind and you decided to join other group, then my driver so our driver drive back in the empty Vehicle from Selous to Dar ess laam. So we gave you back theUSD 1300 even if we have already pay the parks fees and camping fees.
IN
Email Pawas | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Terrible experience with no accountability - Never pay in advance
This is a perfect example of an operator who will not care about you, once the money is in his pocket. I booked a 3 day plan for Ngorongoro, manyara and Tarangire.
As part of the safari, my requirement was to take night shots and early morning shots at the crater rim of Ngorongoro crater. For which I was carrying a tripod and other equipment. I booked through Mercury and specifically asked them over email, whether there is night stay at the crater rim, to which he responded YES.
When I actually reached Arusha, I was told about some other contact person (apparently from a 'sister' company). The jeep i got in was a shared jeep & they told me there is no crater night stay and it is only for people who go INTO Serengeti. The contact person Mr Loy in Arusha just forced me to go saying that he will make sure he talks to the agency and gets this sorted. (i didn't really have a choice, given that i had already made half the payment in advance)
When i was in Tarangire on the first day, and trying to call / message, all i heard was Mr Loy in Arusha blaming Mr Ndamungu in Mercury and vice versa.
It was such a depressing situation for me as a tourist, that i finally gave up.
In case you decide to book with them, please be advised that even if they commit to something, it might not happen. And they will ask you to be "flexible"
Reply from Mercury Tours
Posted on Oct 14, 2016Thank you so much Pawas for the reviews you have posted for us , and we are really consider it and is very important to us as company because we do be-leave this will help us to uplift us company profiles on the future and also for the future potential clients to understand the real meaning of the sharing group with other s clients, As i emailed you that you must be flexible to the place where you will be accommodate in Ngorongoro,off course if the others clients will be sleep in Ngorongoro, we could take you there to sleep with the in rim but remember according to the group the next day they proceeded to Lake Manayara for their safari , it was very hard for us to accommodate only you in Ngorongoro while we had the last day of safari in Lake Manyara. And I asked you if you are really photographer and you want to take picture in the Rim at the night , it could be better having private safari only you with your equipment like camera and binoculars and have free time with out an disturbance of the joining group. So you requested 3 days -Tarangire-Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro, and we fixed group to fit you according your budget ,desire and interest that what we did as Mercury Zanzibar Safari.Thank you so much again and again.