Saso Uganda Safari

Reply from Saso Uganda Safari

Dear Samora,
Greetings from Saso Uganda Safaris Ltd.
Thank you for reaching out to us regarding the concerns raised by Mr. Jonas. I would like to provide a more detailed clarification of the situation and address the issue thoroughly.
Mr. Jonas booked an 15-day safari with us, covering Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, on a budget camping basis last year. Both parties agreed that the safari would be on a budget camping format, with transportation provided via a safari van, not a Land Cruiser or Jeep as requested. This arrangement was confirmed before payment was made, and Mr. Jonas paid in advance to our bank account. With this payment, we proceeded to make the necessary bookings with our travel partners in Kenya and Tanzania. We also arranged a flight for Mr. Jonas (and his brother) with Ethiopian Airlines, traveling to Uganda after their leg in Tanzania.
Upon arrival in Nairobi, Mr. Jonas and his brother arrived two days ahead of the scheduled safari start date. Consequently, they were required to book their own accommodation for these two nights and arrange for their own airport transfers. When the safari began, issues arose despite our initial agreement. We presented the agreed-upon safari van, but Mr. Jonas immediately voiced dissatisfaction, insisting on a Land Cruiser. The guide explained the situation, but Mr. Jonas continued to express complaints throughout the journey. Upon reaching the camping site, Mr. Jonas again voiced dissatisfaction, claiming that he had booked a mid-range lodge, not a campsite, despite the fact that this had been clearly communicated and confirmed prior to the payment.

Interestingly, his brother had no issues with the arrangements and fully understood the terms of the itinerary. However, Mr. Jonas’ complaints persisted at every stage. We offered a compromise, suggesting that he could book mid-range lodges at his own cost, and we would refund the difference once he reached Uganda. On December 24, 2024, Mr. Jonas contacted us through our partner guide, expressing his decision to discontinue the safari service we were offering, even though this was the service he had originally paid for. We encouraged him to continue with the safari in Tanzania as planned, with the understanding that he would receive a refund for the difference once in Uganda. However, he declined, insisting that he wanted a mid-range safari, demanding us to make additional payments of our own resources to upgrade his experience. This demand was neither feasible nor realistic, considering the budget safari he had paid for.
At this point, we informed Mr. Jonas that we could no longer proceed with the safari under these conditions. As a result, we made the difficult decision to cancel the safari. We advised him to consult with the partner guide to arrange for transportation back to Nairobi after the completion of the Kenya leg of the safari. Consequently, Mr. Jonas was transferred back to Nairobi after completing the last activity in the Masai Mara, as agreed upon. Given his negative attitude throughout the safari, we determined that continuing with the service was not viable unless he agreed to proceed with the budget camping safari without further complaints. Unfortunately, he refused, leading to the cancellation of the tour.

After the cancellation, Mr. Jonas booked a flight to return home. We proceeded with the cancellation of the flight from Kilimanjaro to Entebbe that we had originally booked for them, with part of the payment refunded after deducting cancellation fees. Additionally, we canceled the Tanzania safari leg with our partner and also canceled the Uganda safari leg as well.
It is important to note that Mr. Jonas has failed to mention several crucial aspects in his communication with you:

He completed the 7-day Kenya safari as part of the 15-day itinerary.
He has not acknowledged that we informed him a day before the end of the Kenya safari that the trip would be canceled.
He falsely claims that he was asked to pay $8,290 at the border, which is inaccurate. We had already informed him of the cancellation a day before the conclusion of the Kenya safari leg.
He neglects to mention that we had arranged and paid for his flights from Kilimanjaro to Entebbe, which were subsequently canceled, with supporting evidence provided.
He also omits the numerous discussions we had with him through our partner guide in Kenya regarding his complaints, instead claiming that we blocked him, which is not accurate.
Despite the challenges, we are committed to refunding Mr. Jonas in full, minus the costs US$3000 incurred for the 7 days of the Kenya safari. This is currently being processed.

Mr. Jonas also posted a negative review on our SafariBookings account, accusing us of stealing his money. Upon their inquiry, we provided a detailed explanation of the situation and agreed to refund him US$5,290 (minus US$3000 the amount spent on the 7 days of the Kenya safari) before the end of March. He has shared his bank details with us, indicating his expectation of a refund. We are genuinely surprised that despite this agreement, he continues to reach out to you regarding the same matter.

Now as previously discussed, regarding the refund of US$5,290, we are currently able to remit a partial payment of US$3,700. The remaining balance of USD1,590 will be settled over the course of the next few weeks, with full payment expected to be made between now and mid-April and the transfer confirmation receipt will be shared as well.

The amount refunded at this stage pertains specifically to the tour segment in Uganda, as well as the flights from Kilimanjaro to Entebbe for the two passengers to the below account details shared by Mr.Jonas.
Name: Jonas Matthiessen
IBAN: BE13 9670 2253 0739
Swift/BIC TRWIBEB1XXX
Name und Adresse der Bank: Wise, Rue du Trône 100, 3rd floor, Brussels, 1050, Belgium ---

Please find attached the receipt for the transfer done on the 4th/March 2025 after confirmation of the details from Mr.Jonas, which include the detailed of the payment made to Mr. Jonas.

We would like to reassure you that we are adhering to the refund agreement, and once the process is completed, we will share the relevant receipts with you (UTB) as evidence. We deeply regret the situation with Mr. Jonas, but it arose primarily due to his lack of understanding of the itinerary before making payment.
Thank you for your understanding.


Sincerely,
Management
Saso Uganda Safaris Ltd.